


Headspace

by isleofdema, utterflop



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Alternate Universe, Eerie, Fanfiction, Fluff, Gay, M/M, Smut, Tysh
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-09-07 14:54:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 23,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20311345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isleofdema/pseuds/isleofdema, https://archiveofourown.org/users/utterflop/pseuds/utterflop
Summary: ίʍʍմɾε(verb.) to shut in; seclude or confine.





	1. Friendly Environment

The sound of rubber soles skidding against the concrete was quiet as the black haired boy made his way to the park. He dragged his feet a bit, never fully picking them up. The boy's high-waisted white shorts didn't provide any warmth while the wind gently blew. It was early November, so obviously it was a cold Ohio day.

He came to this specific park very often, not minding the weather some days. There could be a storm and there he stood, soaking wet but not complaining. Usually, he wore more covering clothes, he would see what the weather looked to be but he had forgotten today. The cold boy felt as if he was going to freeze to death.

Joshua ran his fingers through his soft, curly hair. He glanced down at the crack in the sidewalk that stuck upwards, causing him to trip more than once in the past. He stepped to the side and over it, doing a little hop. His hair caught in the wind, blowing around. The boy twirled around for fun, not watching where he was going. He feared to fall flat on his face so he slowed his pace a bit.

Joshua squinted up at the dim sun, looking just in time to see the clouds cover it. Josh wished his tall friend was with him today, laughing as they ran down the streets. The older man had somewhere to be though, leaving him to walk alone.

Josh ran his hand across the scratched up tree that started the park. The old sign was barely hanging on, previous storms had ripped it off. Someone did a poor job at stapling it back up.

The ten-minute walk didn't nearly feel like that, it felt shorter. He took a deep breath and smiled. The fresh air was always soothing. Kids ran around, parents watching. Dogs played fetch with their owners. Oh, how he loved the friendly environment.

Josh looked into the clouded sky again, admiring the way the sun came through small cracks in the clouds. A high-pitched shriek came from Josh's mouth when someone ran into him, sending him to the ground. The force felt as if someone had thrown themself into Joshua. The boy looked up almost immediately, seeing a stranger standing there.

Josh's eyes widened in shock as he saw the stranger stood in front of him was wearing shorts and a tank-top... in this cold weather? No thank you. His shock, though, dispersed when he noticed the man was probably out for a jog. That explains why such a force knocked him down, more force than a person walking at a normal speed.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" The stranger exclaimed in a rush, obvious frightened features. A hand gets held out for the black-haired boy to grab, and he hesitantly does. "You're fine." The boy shyly replies with.

"You okay?" The man asked, seeing the boys white shorts all muddy. Most people would've been angry but Josh just brushed it off as not being anyone's fault. Perhaps he was in the man's way.

"Yeah..." He slowly responds. Josh looked down when he noticed the taller man just staring at him. He was still holding his wrist.

"I'm just gonna..." Joshua doesn't finish his almost unheard statement, pointing backwards with his thumb as to signify he's heading off.

"Wait... "He trailed off, smiling.

"While I have you here, take this." The stranger reaches into his back pocket, shoving a small black card into Josh's small hands.

The two boys stood there, Josh trying to figure out what the card was for.

Josh glanced at the business card. It was crisp and clean, not a single mark on its new smooth surface. The matte black paper soaked up all the sunshine like a hungry void, allowing Josh to take a better look at it. Usually, business cards were slick and shiny, hard to read since the light keeps bouncing off the paper. Josh didn't like forced advertisement, he would usually throw any kind of flyer or a card away but not this one. The small piece of black paper caught the boy's attention with its modern simplicity.

Simple bold letters contrasting with the dark background was a delight to look at. Josh kept reading the business card over and over again, feeling a sudden urge to call this company. If they put so much detail and creativity into their advertisement then their service has to be at least half as good.

Josh sighed knowing that there wasn't a single thing in his house that needed repairing. Josh glanced at the car one last time before shoving it into the pocket never to see the light of day again.

Joseph Brothers  
Repair & Restoration  
(988) 013-0770

"A repair company?" Josh's eyes showed confusion as he held the wrinkled card back out as if he was returning it.

"I don't need it." Josh shifted feeling uncomfortable, shaking his wrist from the guy's grip. He didn't like being touched by people, especially if he didn't know them.

"Please, keep it." Josh dropped the card in his bag, returning his glace to the man.

"I have to promote the company in some way, right?" he chuckled.

The boy's eyes changed focus down to his shoes as the stranger turned and walked in the opposite direction.

Josh dug through his bag and yanked his expensive camera out. His heart dropped when he turned it over, eyes tracing the large crack down the side. He pressed the button near the top, frowning as nothing happened. He even tried turning the batteries around but there was no use as his camera was broken. Damn stranger for pushing him over.


	2. Coffee Workers

The bell above the door lets out a soft cheerful jingle when the boy pushes the glass door open, alerting everyone he was in. Josh makes his way around the counter, scanning the current customers and deciding if the cafe was busy or not. He smooths down his tan work shirt as he walks around the corner. He sticks his pin with his name on it on his shirt and wiggles it a bit with his thumb to make it set in place comfortably. 

Joshua squeals when he senses someone's hand against his upper back. He knows who it was, as it had happened every damn day for the past three years, and yet, still it comes as a shock to him.

"Dal! Don't do that!" Joshua turns around with a soft squeal and hits his coworkers shoulder, stifling a laugh.

"Man, it never gets old." He snorts, walking to the coffee machine to continue with the beverage he was making. Joshua goes about getting orders, making them right beside Dallon.

The two boys loved to mess with people by spelling their names wrong on purpose. The customer's reactions were pure gold, the harsh words and insults were totally worth it. Fucking around like that was the only form of entertainment in their exhaustingly boring job. 

"How the hell did you managed to spell Kyle so wrong?" A man sounding quite confused yaps. He turns around quickly, seeing Dallon holding a laugh in. The short man turns his cup around to see 'Kiele' written in bold but sloppy letters. "It's not even a rare name! Are you illiterate?"

Josh laughs while turning around, letting Dallon have the pleasure of dealing with a fuming customer. It was a slow day so he decided he would clean the machines and get it over with. He had all the supplies out when he hears a harsh 'plop' sound behind him. He quickly turns around, thinking someone had dropped their coffee.

"I'll clean i- Dal what are you doing?" He eyes his bag that was now dumped on the counter.

"Dude who fucked up your camera." Dallon hisses, forehead creasing from fury, knowing how much Joshua adored his camera,

"Some man at the park. I'll just... replace it, I guess. It wasn't his fault." Joshua sighs, a small glint of sadness flashes in his eyes "Dude, put it back, you know that you can't put anything on the counter beside coffee."

Dallon pushes Josh's bag down rolling his eyes. He didn't give a shit about the hygiene standards because all of the customers were conceited hipsters with silver spoons up their indie arses. 

"Josh, this took you two years of saving up to buy. How are you so calm?" Dallon carefully sets the broken camera down, sifting through other stuff he had spilled on the counter. "I would've...I would've beaten that man's face in!"

"It's fine." Josh insists, leaning over the counter to drop all the cleaning supplies. Josh quickly stuffs the remaining items back into his bag afraid that Dallons act could be caught on camera. Dallons eyes come across the small black card. He picks it up off the counter, eyes quickly scanning it.

"What, so now you carry random business cards?"

"Thought it might be useful someday." Josh adjusts the bottles in case gravity decides to be a bitch.

"You buy a lot of stuff you think will be useful one day, but we both know very well you'll never use it." Dallon points out, Josh's lips pursing up in discontent. 

"Like what?" he rolls his eyes, fingers tapping against the counter with annoyance

"You bought a baseball bat! You don't even play." Dallon jokes.

"What if someone breaks in!" Josh sputters in defense, palms sassily splayed across his chest.

"Dude, no one's ever going to steal from you," Dallon states a little too loud, causing a few weird glances from around the cafe. 

"You don't know that!" Joshua hisses back, not wanting to lose the 'argument' even though they were merely joking around. 

"You have nothing worth stealing," Dallon flashes the boy a smirk forcing a soft laugh from Josh's chest

They both laugh, a wheeze coming from the younger boy.

"And this, this is why I love you." Josh gestures, his other hand wipes the tear from under his eye. He was so glad to have company at his job or else he might be bored to death. Sleeping on the job didn't seem very appealing to the boss even though he had caught his bald eagle-looking boss passed out on his desk like the lazy slob he was. Josh watches as Dallon puts everything back in his bag. Right as Josh's fingertips feather over the bag, the taller man raises it above his head. Josh whines, jumping and not able to reach the bag

"C'mon grab it, you shortie!" Dallon teases, knowing Joshua didn't get easily offended. He always messed with the boy's height. Even though he wasn't short at all, and they both knew he was an average height, Dallon was taller than most people.

"Are you gonna have to climb on the counter again, little guy?" Dallon laughs, watching as Joshua continues jumping like a little duckling at the border of the sidewalk.

"Are you trying to get me fired?" He retorts, smiling widely.

♢♢♢

Josh shifts his tired glance toward the clock on the wall, sighing about the fact that only a few hours had passed. He was stuck here for another two hours. The sky starts to fade as it gets darker and the sun's rays lit up the darkening sky, The clock strikes 6 pm. 

"Alright, someone just spilled their damn drink so I gotta go clean it," Dallon announces while plopping the current cup of coffee he was working on in front of Josh.

"Call this out for me, please." He quickly gestures to the large cup of coffee before reaching for the roll of towels.

"Sure thing," Josh mumbles, growing tired as he looks around the nearly empty cafe with droopy eyes. The bell chimes obnoxiously as someone leaves the shop, causing Josh to groan with frustration because he wished it was him on his way to his warm home.

Josh's eyes trail down to the freshly warm cup in front of him, his soft eyes scanning the dark letters across the sleeve that read 'Taylor'.

After calling out the name rather loudly, to gain everyone's attention, no one shows up. He rereads the large-lettered name several times to make sure he had it right and he indeed did. He even slowly glances around to see if anyone's name looked like it might be a Taylor.

"Uh... Taylor?" Josh's voice is rather timid as if he didn't want anyone to hear it which completely defeated the purpose. 

It only then comes to Josh's attention that Dallon has decided to play his little game. Josh sighs in relief when the bell rings again, meaning there was one less person for him to evidently embarrass himself in front of.

The boy calls out the name two more times, hoping someone would claim the large beverage even if it wasn't theirs

Josh jumps hearing a masculine voice behind him. He turns slowly to see a man leaning against the counter, slouching a tad, staring at Josh with a 'are you fucking serious' expression on his face.

"Can you read?" the man grumbled, his tone harsh. The brunet was clearly pissed. Josh nods quickly, his tongue moves back as he swallows his saliva thickly. Josh is confused as to why he is being questioned.

"Okay because there damn well ain't a Taylor in here." his hands slide into the pockets of his hoodie.

Josh's gaze darts down at the name and in seconds he realizes the problem. With a quick and quiet 'sorry', the boy apologizes, his eyes burning a hole through the counter as he tries to hide his embarrassed face. 

"Is this," Josh manages to lift his head up to look the man into the eyes "Is this y-your drink?"

"Well considering Taylor is quite close to my name, I'm going to assume so." The man chuckles, Josh shortly realizes there was a hint of familiarity within the man.

"Have a nice night, sir," Josh mumbles as the man heads to the exit with his less warm cup clutched in his hand

"You too," the man flashes a warm genuine smile to Josh, his hand resting on the door handle loosely "Next time don't mess up my name, okay, honey?" 

And with a subtle wink, the man turns around leaving Josh even more embarrassed than he was before. At least now he doesn't feel like complete garbage since the man didn't seem like he was mad at him for not being able to spell his name correctly.

The boy behind the counter watches the man pull his hood over his head, concealing the fluffy locks and part of his face from the harsh weather outside. 

And, of course, after Josh deals with the embarrassment, Dallon decides that it's finally time for him to make his return.


	3. Jasmine Scented

It's early, the water for his tea has yet to boil so Josh enjoys that calm moment. Josh stares out his window with tired eyes, gazing at the dark sky. The morning is gloomy. Grimy clouds roll lazily across the sky, no sign of sunshine on the horizon. Josh watches as tiny water particles form on the glass of his kitchen window. It's raining. 

The boy sighs, his tender thoughts are dispersed by the obnoxious shriek of his electric kettle. Josh pours water slowly, the steam coming out of the kettle with a subtle hiss. Josh stirs the tea agonizingly slowly, his eyelids drooping down. He is tired. 

After making his tea, Josh slides to his chair, a dashing plate of scrambled eggs right in front of his nose. The brunet takes a whiff, admiring the meal. He managed not to burn it this time. The food in Josh's mouth is being chewed slowly, Josh glances at the clock wishing time would stop. He has no energy to get up from his chair, let alone leave for work. It's just one of those days when he wants to crawl under the blankets and howl at the world. 

Finally, Josh rises from his seat with a defeated sigh, his figure sways lightly as if he was just a spirit pushing across the air. The air inside is heavy, Josh stares out the open window breathing in the cool air. He's so weak, physically exhausted. He senses the smell of his herbal tea that he hadn't even touched. The scrambled eggs lay on the plate barely picked at. If he had the energy to lift his hands up he would close the window to prevent the wind from spraying tiny droplets onto his face. 

It's time to leave and Josh hadn't even brushed his teeth. His feet slide across the floor as he walks, the friction from the socks and the wooden surface giving out a quiet rustle. The clock keeps ticking, the time in Josh's head is going so slow compared to the clock. Josh groans, another obnoxious beeping reaches his ears. This time it emits from his wristwatch. Josh struggles but finally turns it off. 

Josh is ready and dressed. His hair still wet from the shower. He already knew that he was going to be late so rushing would be pointless. The sad boy creeps across the hall, he slips on his shoes and walks through the front door. The cold morning air is like a punch straight to his face. Josh inhales deeply hoping to find the energy he was lacking. There's a spark, the boy widens his eyes with belief but soon his head dips down. False alarm, he's going to be miserable the whole day. It's only Tuesday, the week is going so slow. 

Josh's weak hand pushes the door shut, the key slides into the lock and twists halfway. Josh frowns and tries again. The key is stuck, his front door won't close. Josh shoves the door rather aggressively, this motion uses up all of his energy and the brunet is left an empty blue shell. 

"Shit," Josh hisses, he's too tired to think of a more creative curse word

He rattles the handle more and more, forehead pressed against the broken door. He grips the key with both of his hands, twisting violently. Something inside breaks. Josh's foot swings in the air, the front door rattles, so does the whole house. The brunet grits his teeth: damn this old house. Josh sighs, it's his own fault, he knew the house was old and should be handled with care. 

The boy twists the key for the last time, the lock is completely broken. Josh has no idea how to fix it. The boy pushes it one more time to close it and drags an empty clay pot in front of it to keep it temporarily closed. 

Josh walks away in an even shittier mood than before, cursing under his breath. He rarely cursed but this shitty morning was the last straw. His day is ruined.

♢♢♢

Josh pushes against the cold glass door of the small cafe. The curly haired boy sighs in relief as the warm air from the building welcomes him, unlike the pouring rain outside. He carefully takes off his heavy rain-coat, trying not to get water droplets on his simple tan uniform. A small puddle immediately starts to gather on the smooth wood floor as Josh hangs his jacket.

"Dude, where the hell have you been?" Josh hears a familiar voice as he makes his way around the corner of the granite counter. "You're late!"

"Don't you think I already know that?" He grumbles, trying not to let his bad day get in the way of everything. Dal doesn't deserve to be shouted at for a reason that wasn't in anyway his fault.

"Sorry..." The taller guy slowly replies, dragging out the end of the word. 

Josh turns to look around the small area, groaning rather loudly at how many customers were in the shop. The sound of chatter reaches his ears forming a dull ache across his forehead. Josh leans back against the counter, slightly sitting on it as he slouches down. He knows he isn't supposed to do this and piling negative stuff up would result in him losing his only chance of income, but he didn't care at the moment. 

Josh scrambles to get off the counter when a silvery voice was heard behind him. He whips his head around and was met with the same brunet man from a few days ago. The man approaches the boy slowly, his signature smirk curving the corners of his mouth. Josh tenses up for no reason, he watches the man come closer with his lips pressed tightly. He's supposed to greet every customer but the brunet takes his breath away. 

"Hey," Tyler rests his palms against the counter, Josh could sense the smell of rain mixed with Tyler's cologne. The scent is pleasant, it smells of jasmine mixed with something earthy, a forest scent perhaps. 

A strangled noise leaves Josh's throat, it doesn't sound like a word at all, let alone a greeting. Tyler just smiles, his eyes scan the menu quickly. Josh has a little bit of time to catch his breath. 

"One black coffee, please," Tyler speaks finally making Josh's shoulders flinch. 

Tyler notices that but doesn't say anything. 

"Sugar?" Josh asks, looking around for a black pen.

"Yes?" Tyler chuckles making Josh blush.

"I was-" Josh's throat closes, he begins to stammer "I was asking i-if you need sugar in your coffee."

"Oh," Tyler slides his hand closer "No. No sugar. Just a plain black coffee." 

"Got it." Josh murmurs and grabs a white paper cup from the stack.

The pen is already in Josh's hands, shaking so much he fears that he may drop it. Tyler waits behind the counter, he could just sit down but the man chooses to wait. That makes Josh a bit uncomfortable. 

"Tyler," the man says quietly "In case you forgot," 

Josh nods, he quickly turns around as an attempt to hide his blush but the man had already seen it. The cup shakes in Josh's hand, he tries not to mess up Tyler's name. He catches himself re-checking the tick-marks on the cup several times, making sure the order is okay.

The man is still standing there, observing Josh. It takes a few minutes longer than it usually took for Josh to make coffee but the cup is finally full.   
"Here you go," Josh places the cup on the counter "That'll be two dollars and fifty cents." 

Tyler already has the money in his hands, an exact amount with no change. Josh grasps the money, their fingers touch for a second. 

"It's hot, be careful," Josh murmurs, his head tilts up to look Tyler in the eyes. The man winks, his gaze on the boy still. 

"I'm well aware,"

The way Tyler says it doesn't sound like he's talking about the coffee but Josh tries shrugging it off. 

"So," Tyler speaks again, Josh clutches the end of the counter, bracing himself for yet another awkward interaction.

"Mh?" Josh hums.

"How are you today, Josh?" 

"Oh," the boy inhaled sharply "I-... I'm fine." 

"Just fine?" Tyler smirks again, a clever glimmer in his eyes.

"Well... Um..." Josh fiddles with the edge of his apron "Today isn't the best day."

"Why so?" Tyler blows air on his coffee before taking a sip.

"Well," Josh pauses to think if he should be sharing his life details with strangers "I couldn't sleep and then..."

Tyler's eyebrows rise with curiosity, Josh sighs. There's nothing wrong with opening up a little and besides: it's just small talk. 

"My front door wouldn't lock, I think I broke it," Josh shrugs.

"Oh?" a smile lights up Tyler's face "I just happen to know a guy who could help." 

"You do?" Josh almost squeals, Tyler nods and takes another sip of his plain black coffee.

Josh takes a minute to process that, the boy's cheeks light up again when he realizes what the man is talking about. Josh nods his head slowly and tips it down with a small 'oh'. 

"I can take a look if you want," Tyler says casually 

"I-if that's okay," Josh speaks quietly 

"Honey, that's my job," Tyler cackles and gestures at his black jumpsuit "If you haven't noticed."

Josh just smiles, he's afraid to admit that he didn't notice Tyler's uniform. All he concentrated was his eyes, dark like the coffee in the man's hand. Sparkling the same except Tyler's eyes had a sweet glimmer in them. 

"Oh, okay," Josh agrees "I get off work at seven so I'm usually home by seven thirty."

"Alrighty, I'll come check it out," Tyler flashes the boy a toothy grin "See you later, Joshua."


	4. Awkward Atmosphere

Josh feels his gut churn, he hears light footsteps approaching his house. It's probably Tyler, no one else visits him at this time of the day. The streetlamps had already turned on, giving the street a warm yellow glow. Josh's fingers clutch into two sweaty fists. He is feeling nervous. He shouldn't be. the boy doesn't understand why his body is shaking so much.

Three light knocks startle the boy. He waits for a second or two before opening the door. There Tyler is, standing on Josh's porch, black shiny toolbox in hand. The man is wearing his usual uniform, an army-green jacket with yellow reflective stripes, a black jumpsuit underneath. The man smiles warmly before speaking.

"Hi,"

"Hello," Josh quickly pushed himself outside and closes the door.

They're standing face to face now, Tyler has a slight smirk on his lips. Josh feels the sweat forming on the nape of his neck. Why the hell is he being so nervous all of the sudden?

"You got here fast," Josh utters

"Yeah," Tyler nods "I've been around."

Josh nods, silence falls over them. Tyler sets his toolbox on the ground and glances around. 

"Is this the door?" Tyler points at the front door, Josh nods with a faint smile

Tyler promptly kneels down, his toolbox already open. He really knows what he's doing because he already has his tools laid in front of him. Josh just stands aside admiring how professional the man is being. 

Tyler tinkers with the door a bit, his brows furrowed from deep concentration. Josh fetches the man a small flashlight from the toolbox so the man could look into it further. The porch light is dim, flickering. Josh quietly curses himself for not changing the bulb. Josh is embarrassed. Luckily, the lack of light makes it easier for him to hide his blush so Josh just lurks in the shadow, flashing light on his door as Tyler examine it. 

"There's gum in the lock," Tyler claims without turning around, "I think you need a new lock."

"Wh-what do you mean there's gum in the lock?" Josh almost gasps, it wasn't something he would hear every day.

Tyler gets up with a light grunt, the yellow reflective strips ripple with light every time the flashlight's beam lands on them. He smiles softly as he extends his gloved hand towards Josh. The boy's nose scrunches up once he notices a small lump of bright pink bubblegum in Tyler's palm.

"Why would someone put gum in my lock?" Josh scoffs, this is unbelievable

"Well," Tyler sighs and kneels down next to his tools again "Must've been a prank, maybe a dare. You know, kids these days."

"You sound like my dad," Josh lets out a breathy laughter, Tyler joins in with a small chuckle

Their laughter dies down, Josh bites his lip anxiously as silence falls over them once again. The timid sound of Tyler's screwdriver clanking against the lock is the only sound filling that uncomfortable void. Josh wonders: maybe he should say something. He stays quiet, making things even more uncomfortable. At least for him. Tyler is so busy with the lock that he doesn't even notice the awkward atmosphere. But Josh does and it's eating him up inside. 

Finally, Tyler stands up. Josh flickers the flashlight at him playfully earning a laugh from the man.

"I have bad news and good news," Tyler cackles

"Oh?" Josh swallows thickly, Tyler's tall figure looms over him like a colossus. The boy has to tip his head upwards to look Tyler in the eyes.

"Well, the bad news is that your lock is beyond fixing." Tyler rubs the back of his neck "I can't get the gum out and the spindle doesn't turn anymore."

"The what?" Josh laughs nervously

"Don't worry about that," Tyler just waves it off like it's not big of a deal. "The good news is that I have some sliding bolts so you can lock the door for the night."

"Oh," Josh smiles with relief "What about when I leave for work?"

"I'll be here in the morning to change the lock," Tyler pats Josh's shoulder softly "Don't worry about it. By the time you come home, you'll have a brand new lock to keep your scaredy butt safe from all the intruders and Jehovah witnesses, mkay?" 

"Mhm," Josh nods, Tyler's hand slides down his shoulder, the man's fingertips trailing down his forearm. 

For a moment their eyes meet but the younger boy moves his gaze away scared, embarrassed. Tyler's fingers linger on the back of Josh's hand for a few seconds before he pulls his hand away. Josh's not looking, his gaze directed at the ground. Their eyes meet up just in time for Josh to see how Tyler's bottom lip snaps back as his teeth release it. Josh gulps, it was about time for him to say goodbye but they just stand there, gazing into each other's eyes, 

Tyler licks his lips, Josh feels the need to lean in. So he does. 

"I-" Josh immediately dips down once he sees the sultry glimmer in Tyler's eyes.

Josh's shaking hands quickly collect Tyler's tools from the ground. The man sighs and helps the boy to put everything back into his toolbox. The man's eyes catch Josh's once again, there's that strange glimmer again only this time all Josh can see in melancholy and disappointment. Josh can't help but think that he offended the man somehow. 

Tyler quickly installs the sliding bolts from the inside and gives them a shake to make sure they're staying on nice and firm.

"How much?" Josh asks once Tyler had collected his tools

"What?" Tyler's head whips back, he's already making his exit, stepping down the stairs and onto Josh's front lawn

"F-for the service," Josh's hands reach for the wallet hesitantly

Tyler's eyes crinkle as he laughs, Josh stands mid-reach, fingertips brushing over the leather of his wallet. 

"You don't..." Tyler lets out a simple sigh "You don't need to pay me anything."

"But-" Josh inhales

"Come on, it's just a simple lock." Tyler rolls his eyes with a short chuckle 

"I don't feel comfortable," Josh murmurs as he fidgets with the corner of his wallet

Tyler pauses to think, his dark eyes scanning Josh's reddened face. 

"You know what? I have an idea" Tyler laughs "Are you free this Friday?"

"Yes." Josh nods "Why?"

"Perfect." Tyler grins, his dark eyes glimmer again "I'll pick you up at eight, is that okay?"

Josh's eyes widen, he suddenly realizes where Tyler's going with this. Josh nods slowly, it's not like he has a choice and besides, why would he want to refuse?

"It's a date then," Tyler states proudly "See you tomorrow, buttercup."

Tyler flashes Josh one of his charming winks at him before walking off. Josh stands on his porch clutching his wallet. The darkness swallows Tyler's figure and all the boy could hear is distant footsteps hitting the dry asphalt.


	5. Shopping Buddies

Josh's eyes flutter open when his sleep is disrupted by a loud shrill. He groans to himself, letting his head sink further into the pillow. The boy blindly reaches out to the side, dragging his hand along his sheets as he searches for his phone. Josh jams his finger on the 'stop' button along the bottom of the phone, causing the loud ringing to go away. He slowly sits up, a hand immediately shooting over his eyes as he's blinded by the bright sun coming through his window.

The brunet runs a hand through his messy curls as he shifts to get out of bed. He unlatches his window, pushing it open with a loud creak and letting the fresh morning air in. His small room is immediately filled with a fresh smell, a hint of rain. He sighs, looking at the clear sky. The boy stares out the window until the first shiver crawls down his spine. He could look at the clouds and listen to the sounds of nature for hours but he has to get ready for work.

Josh's feet drag along the wooden boards of his home. His socks quiet the sound, nearly making him slip a few times as well. The old floorboards creak obnoxiously as he approaches the small, unorganized kitchen.

"Goddamnit," Josh whispers to himself when he yanks on the blinds of the kitchen window. They're stuck again so he'll have to do without them being open. Josh wonders how his house hasn't fallen apart yet considering how old it was. The curly haired boys every step is followed by a creak, he cringes every time his foot sets on the floor.

Josh pops two pieces of bread into the toaster, slumping against the counter with a big yawn He looks around the kitchen lazily, his gaze casually brushing over the clock. His eyes widen when he realizes he has somewhere to be today. He pushes himself off the counter and speed-walks to his bedroom. Josh nearly squeals as his hip collides with the cold metal of the doorknob. The boy hisses in pain, nearly falling over. 

The boy digs through his small closet, pushing the heavy clothes aside and looking for something a little nicer than normal. His hip is killing him, the brunet can't concentrate over the pain jabbing him from inside and out. The boy quickly lifts his shirt up without expecting anything serious. He almost screams as he peers at a large oval bruise on his side. Josh grits his teeth as he lowers his shirt. He has no time to wail about a (not so) small bruise, he has more important things he's supposed to take care of. 

Josh sighs, his digits threading through the unruly curls for the hundredth time that morning. He figures he should at least try to look nice even though he's not the one who pays attention to the latest fashion. The curly haired boy's eyes scan over the small makeup bag in the corner of his closet. He hasn't opened that in months. The boy wonders if the makeup has expired yet. He really doesn't feel like repurchasing anything   
He opens the bag for a brief second to take a look at his makeup. It was barely used and fairly new, Josh imagines the makeup was still fine. 

The curly haired boy closes the shutters on his closet, empty-handed as to what he could wear tonight. He glances at the digital clock beside his bed, the numbers writing out 10 am. Josh has a few hours before work, so he figures he could quickly run to the store.

The boy grabs his phone and calls his best friend, knowing he'd much rather have company than go alone. He also requires emotional support since his anxiety goes through the roof sometimes. 

"Hello?" Josh hears through his phone as the timid beeping stops.

"Hey, are you busy?" He questions as he pulls his shoes on, wanting to hurry to the store.

"Not really, Wh-" Dallon replies, checking the time.

"I want to go to the store." Josh cuts him off.

"You want me to go with you?" Dallon raises his eyebrow, forgetting Josh can't see him.

"Why else would I have called you?" The boy chuckles as if it was super obvious. He nearly trips and slams his body against the doorknob again as he struggles to get his shoes on. Most people would untie them but he didn't feel like it so he continued to try and shove his foot in with vigour.

"Okay," Dallon sighs defeated, already trying to find his keys and head out the door. "...Right now?"

"Yes. Meet me at the mall." Josh hits the end button on the phone without even bothering to hear his friend's response.

Dallon is left wondering to which mall he's supposed to go.

♢♢♢

Josh locks his bike into place on a small, curved pole when he hears a very familiar voice. He's already prepared for the tickle attack that's supposed to assault his ribs but the brunet still squeals. Dallon envelops Josh into a hug, trapping the boy so he has no way of escaping his tickle torture.

"Stop-" The boy mutters out of breath, his smile wider than ever.

Dallon finally lets go of the laughing boy, Josh needs a minute to calm down and catch his breath. The brunet is a very sensitive boy. Dallon watched Josh wheeze with a slight smile on his face. He does this every time. It never gets old.

"One day I'll get you back," Josh playfully shoves his taller friend.

"Dream on, little squirrel," Dallon teases, Josh doesn't know how to react to the nickname.

They go into the mall, hand in hand like they often do. Josh doesn't care what other people think of them. If girls hold hands why can't they do it? Dallon squeezes Josh's hand for reassurance when an elderly couple passes them. Josh tries to not pay attention to their angry glares. 

"Which store do you want to go?" Dallon asks as he leads Josh into a clothing store of his choosing.

Josh frowns looking at all the feminine clothing displayed in front of him. He bites his lips, the items are cute but the cashier is looking at him funny. 

"Let's get out of here," Josh tugs at his friend's hands like a child would when they want their parent's attention.

"Don't stress it," Dallon nudges Josh's soft shoulder "You're a customer and she can stare angrily at you as much as she wants. She can't do shit."

Josh just nods and follows his friend like a scared sheep. Dallon begins picking out clothes for the boy since he's too afraid to touch them. The dark haired male has a pretty good sense in feminine fashion even though his style is mostly masculine, business casual. 

Josh has no other choice but to step into the changing booth, a pile of clothes in his hands. The brunet doesn't know where to even begin. Josh tries the clothes on, item by item. They are all cute and Josh would totally wear them out if he had the confidence. He lacks self-esteem like the USA lacks good government.

Eventually, Josh is left with two outfits. A pastel blue one and a darker, more grungy looking one. The boy bites his nails trying to choose but in the end, he sticks with the grunge looking one. The brunet places the pastel outfit on the pile of rejections. He doesn't want to be that feminine. Not yet. 

-

"Oh my god!" Dallon gasps when Josh walks out of the changing booth.

"Just say I look stupid, I don't need your drama," Josh murmurs, his body turns around to go back into the changing room.

"You look so adorable," Dallon awes, palms pressing against his chest.

"I do?" Josh's question sounds doubtful, like he's not sure if he should be receiving the compliment.

"Yes you do, Josh." Dallon confirms his statement "I wish you could see yourself through my eyes."

Josh feels tears building up in his eyes. Seconds later he's burying his face into his friend's chest as Dallons soothing fingers run circles on his back.

"You're such a g-good friend," Josh sobs against the man's velvet red shirt.

"You're beautiful, sweetheart, you need to know that," Dallon smiles "Don't cry no more, okay?"

Josh nods, wiping his cheek with the back of his hand. His lips twist into a sweet smile. He's suddenly feeling more confident about himself. 

"Let's go buy this and then look for something else in case you change your mind," Dallon offers and Josh gladly obliges.

Their hands fit in one another perfectly as they walk around the mall. Maybe soulmates do exist.


	6. Embarassing Moments

Josh stares out the window, Dallon is late which doesn't make sense since the boy lives five minutes away from the coffee shop. The brunet sighs heavily, his thoughts are somewhere over the clouds. He keeps imagining his date today and all the ways he'll embarrass himself. There is no way for it to go smoothly knowing how clumsy Josh is. The boy sips the coffee that he had made for himself. A spike of caffeine jabs his heart making it thump even faster than before. Josh knows it's not good for his health but if the hours keep sliding by so slowly he might die anyway. He might die out of boredom. 

Josh keeps thinking about his outfit. The more he thinks about it, the more self-conscious he feels. Dallon keeps telling the boy that he's beautiful no matter what but it's kinda hard to believe that. 

Josh's head shoots up when he hears a jingle from the bell above the door. One more second and he would've fallen asleep despite all the coffee he drank. The boy's face blushes immediately after he recognizes the person walking through the door. Josh suddenly feels incredibly warm inside, his heart beats a frantic beat. It must be the coffee cup in his hands. The liquid in the paper cup is barely warm but yes, it must've been the coffee.

Tyler is in his uniform, the yellow reflective strips are so neon they're almost blinding. The boy notices dark stains around the man's sleeves. 

"Boom," Tyler slaps his palm against the counter smiling proudly, rattling the small keys in his hand "You're welcome."

"Thank you," Josh utters, his fingers rush against Tyler's as he takes the keys. "I don't know what else to say."

"Just say I do when I propose to you," Tyler jokes, Josh feels the tingling warmth in all his body again.

"I'll keep that in mind," Josh leans against the counter in his pathetic attempt to flirt. His elbow only slides off, poking Tyler's forearm in the process. The man pretends that he's hurt and Josh is already panicking. 

"Oh, gosh," Josh strokes Tyler's forearm soothingly, afraid that he had really hurt the man. "I'm so clumsy, gosh, I'm sorry." 

"I'm okay, Josh," Tyler shrugs it off "How's your day been going? Ready for the date I bet?"

"Uh-" Josh's cheeks are blazing, there is no way he can hide it so the boy just marinates in his own shame "Yeah, I'm- I'm ready."

"Cool." Tyler bites his lip, Josh's soul had already left his body.

The only thing that snaps the curly-haired boy out of his trance is the dark stains on Tyler's uniform. The boy points at them, raising a brow with a question. 

"What is this?" Josh asks shyly, afraid to seem annoying.

"Oh, this?" Tyler laughs and tugs his sleeves down a bit "I had a nasty, nasty, nasty rodent problem to deal with this morning. Can you believe that rats can grow to the size of a cat? Sheesh, they're aggressive as well."

"Did it bite you?" Josh's eyes fill with concern, Tyler chuckles rolling up his sleeve to reveal his wrist.

"No, I got my sleeve caught in between the floorboards when I tried to pull one out of the floor," Tyler points at his bloody bandage "There was a nail poking out and I didn't see it."

"There was a lot of blood..." Josh whispers staring at Tyler's tainted sleeves.

"Well, yeah," Tyler leans in, elbow resting against the counter with confidence "I'm okay now, you don't have to worry." 

Josh nods, he doesn't have much to say. Tyler buys a small pastry and leaves. Josh is left staring at two keys in his hands. The metal is still warm from Tyler's palms. He must've carried them for quite a long time. 

♢♢♢

Josh jokingly rolls his eyes at a previous remark his best friend had made, sliding a warm beverage across the smooth surface of the cafe counter. 

"You okay over there?" Josh chuckles as he turns around to see Dallon laughing extremely hard at his own joke. He's slightly hunched over, slim fingers clutching his stomach from laughter. He snorts rather loudly, causing both boys to start cackling again.

"Y-Yeah." Dallon tries to say between his short breaths. He almost spills the current cup of coffee he was making as he walked over to the counter, the warm liquid coming close to overflowing the edges. He pops a lid on and calls out the person's name.

The laughter dies down as the small shop gets busier, the two boys focusing on not mixing up orders. Dallon would lightly push Josh a few times, careful enough not to be the cause of any spills.

"Hey, Josh," Dallon slowly says as the line of customers dies down. His cheeks are dusted a light pink, a smile curving his lips. Josh hums in response as he finishes quickly writing a, misspelled, name in bold letters. "I have a question,"

"Shoot," Josh replies as he mixes a coffee, checking the order on the side multiple times. He hates getting the orders wrong, it's embarrassing.

"Would you maybe w-" Dallon starts slowly, only to be cut off.

"How're you doin', honeybee?" Josh's head whips around at the familiar, sugary voice. His eyes quickly glance over at the clock, confusion spreading across his face as he realizes it's only seven.

"I thought you were picking me up at eight?" Dallons eyes narrow in confusion, turning away from Josh and continuing one of the drinks that the boy had completely forgotten about. He was too busy talking, slumped against the counter.

"Well, I wanted to see you sooner..." Tyler trails off, eyes brushing over the small clock as if he didn't know what time it was.

Josh can't help himself but eye Tyler down. The man seems to like the attention. Josh's eyes shift up and down taking the pleasant sight in front of him. Tyler is dressed incredibly nice, every article of clothing picked after the latest fashion. Josh gulps, the older man looks like he just walked out of a cover of a high fashion magazine. The man smirks cunningly, his eyelids lower seductively. Josh feels a tingle run down his spine. Tyler knows he looks good and he's making sure to use every opportunity to tease the younger boy. 

"Wait, why honeybee?" The smaller boy suddenly realizes what nickname the man had chosen earlier. He snaps out of his trance, the smell of Tyler's cologne still in his nostrils

"Honeybees are small, but still very important," Tyler added a small wink, a big smile on his lips as well as Josh's.

"Josh, you have drinks to make..." Dallon grumbles as he realizes the line that built up, Josh being no help as he's completely distracted. Dallon sets a drink on the counter, maybe a little too aggressively resulting in a bit of spillage. Josh quickly wipes the counter since Dallon had already walked off to the second cash register without cleaning up the mess he had made. The dark-haired boy glares at Tyler, probably mad that he's holding up the line.

"Dal, could you serve this line for me?" The curly haired boy quickly gestures at the cash register Dallon is standing at before turning back to his conversation with Tyler.

"Yeah, sure, anything for you," Dallon grumbles, Josh fails to sense the sarcasm in the boy's voice.

Dallon is suddenly moody, he's slamming the cash register closed like he's never done before. The customers frown at the way Dallon speaks to them but don't really say anything. 

"Would you like any coffee while you wait?" Josh's eyes flicker to the stack of cups next to him as if gesturing to buy one. He captures Dallon's gaze which is unusually cold.

"Only if you make it." The brunet winks, hoping that Josh remembers the order

"You can't take his order before the people who were waiting." Dallon scolds as soon as Josh turns around with the cup already in hand, bold name written on the side and a sleeve comfortably hugging it.

"But he's my friend," Josh uses a soft voice, causing the taller man to roll his deep blue eyes. It goes unnoticed by Josh. Tyler, however, does notice the rude gesture but decides against saying anything.

When the boy turns around, he doesn't see Tyler at the counter. He notices he went to sit in a booth so he decides to take his drink to him.

"I'll be right back." He tells Dallon.

"Where are you g-" Josh continues walking, out of hearing range to catch the rest of Dallon's sentence.

He approaches Tyler, walking slowly and avoiding people. Some people were watching him with discontent but he shakes it off, keeping his eyes trained on the man.

"Here's your coffee, s-" Josh squeaks as his left foot gets caught on his right ankle, a loud squeak coming from his shoe as he slips. He squeals loudly on his way down, knees colliding with the floor. His eyes immediately fill with tears, trying his best to hold them back.

He only then looks up when a deep groan is heard from Tyler. A tear runs down his cheek as he sees that he's splashed Tyler in coffee. The freshly hot liquid burning into the skin of his thighs.

"Hey, hey, don't cry, I'm fine," Tyler coos as holds in a groan from the burning sensation. He picks up the now empty cup from his lap, a slight smile as he sees the name Taylor in messy, now smeared, letters.

"I'm gonna go get napkins..." Josh utters, pointing backward at the counter. He wipes his face and jumps up, sprinting back to where he came from.

"I fucked up." Josh quickly mumbles before Dallon can question him. He runs off with the entire roll of paper towels, Dallons facial expression falling when he realized what happened.

The dark-haired boy seems quite amused because of Tyler's misfortune. He smirks before turning away to continue working, a mocking smile never leaving his face. 

Josh almost trips again as he rushes to Tyler with the paper towels. The older man is silent, he watches the boy kneel in front of him. The coffee burns his itsy bits but he doesn't say anything afraid to make the boy even more upset. 

"Gosh, I'm so sorry" Josh mumbles piling sheets of paper towels on Tyler's crotch "This is probably expensive, I ruined it, I'm sorry. " 

Tyler tries to interrupt the boy, Josh keeps chanting how much of a failure he is and that he ruined Tyler's outfit. Tyler watches they boy stack half a roll of paper towels on top of his crotch. Josh is afraid to touch it, he awkwardly pats the area around it in a pathetic attempt to help soak up the liquid. 

Tyler's patience is wearing thin, Josh is still rambling, talking badly about himself. 

"Listen! " Tyler snaps, tears collect in Josh's eyes, he's waiting for Tyler to start yelling at him. 

Instead of lashing out the man grabs the boy's trembling hand and brings it up to his mouth, fingers intertwined. Josh's knuckles receive a soft kiss. Tyler's eyelids flutter closed as he presses his lips harder against the boy's skin. Josh is completely frozen, a hard blush creeping to his cheeks and spreading across his whole face. 

"It's okay, " Tyler's lips graze against the back of the younger boy's hand as he whispers soothing words.

"But I-" Josh is shushed by another kiss on his knuckles:

He can't do anything but sit and stare quietly. Tyler's lips form a smile against Josh's skin, the boy feels a violent shiver running down his spine.

"Josh, I'll go change, " Tyler smiles "I'll pick you up for our date as I said earlier."

"I ruined everything... " Josh murmurs.

"Joshie, you're a human," Tyler whispers softly "You can't even imagine how many embarrassing accidents I had at work. Everyone messes up sometimes but one minor accident doesn't mean that you're a failure."

Josh feels Tyler's gentle hand cupping his cheek, the man's thumb wiping the tear from under his eye. Tyler looks at the brunet boy lovingly, a gentle smile curving his plump lips. 

"I'm gonna go now, okay? " Tyler whispers, Josh nods his head "I'll pick you up at eight."

"Okay, " Josh nods again.

Tyler stands up, the pile of paper towels had already soaked up a big portion of the liquid. The older man catches the boy by surprise when he wraps his arm around his waist. Josh inhales sharply, the man pressing the brunet's body closer to his for a gentle embrace. 

"See you soon," Tyler murmurs as he lets go of the embarrassed boy.

Josh hums in response. The man left, Josh goes back to the cash register, blush never leaving his face. Dallon throws him a sour glance, the dark-haired boy wasn't really happy about the visit.

"Hey, Dal? " Josh lifts his head up unexpectedly.

"Uh... " the tall boy groans in response.

"You wanted to ask me something?" 

"Oh-" Dallon's grip on the cup tightens. He shakes his head in dismission.

"It's nothing, " he murmurs, pained look behind his eyes.

Josh doesn't notice it, his friend has his face turned away from him. The rest of the shift is quiet, Dallon doesn't talk much.


	7. Rosy Clouds

Josh, after deciding to change into his outfit he wanted to wear for the date, locks the bathroom door. He really doesn't want to make Tyler sit around. He drops the small silver key in a drawer, smoothly folding his work clothes onto a high shelf. 

Josh flips the sign outside the small shop to announce it was closed. He begins wiping down all the small booths, listening to music rather loudly. The boy always finds himself getting lost in his music, dancing and swaying from table to table as he cleans. Dallon usually leaves earlier, meaning he got to clean the shop alone. He closes the curtains that were displayed across the large windows, leaving him some privacy.

Josh's fingers spasm and he drops the rag as he's startled when a loud voice rings across the cafe. He freezes in place when he realizes he must have missed the small bell going off. Josh slowly turns around to see his favourite person leaning against the counter, beaming at him with those perfect pearly whites.

"You look nice," Tyler smirks, looking the boy up and down.

"H-How long have you been here?" The curly-haired boy stutters, his heartbeat began to steady.

"A few minutes, You always dance like that?" Tyler doesn't receive an answer, deciding to add a slightly deeper, quieter "Maybe I should come around more, then."

Josh pretends he didn't hear Tyler, even though his face immediately flushes red. He looks up and sees Tyler already has his bag over his shoulder, still watching the boy.

Josh flips the light switch off after making sure everything's ready for the next day. He locks the glass door, dropping his personal key into the smallest pocket of his bag. If he loses it, god, his asshole of a boss would fire him within seconds.

Josh takes his bag from Tyler's shoulder, linking their arms together. They walk down the cracked sidewalk towards a small, slick black car. The sky dims as the sun lowers, rolling behind dark rosy clouds. The street lights turn off with a click, it's followed by a timid buzz of electricity. The curly-haired boy tries to mask his flinch with a shudder of cold. He doesn't want the man thinking that he's a complete and utter wimp. Tyler notices everything, his palm slides down Josh's arm where it rests against Josh's, fingers slowly intertwining. The younger boy instantly feels his cheeks set ablaze, luckily the dim of the night masks it. 

Josh blushes once again as Tyler holds the door open for him, gently shutting it once he's sat comfortably on the smooth leather seats. They look new, not a single scratch. The more the boy looks around, the more he's impressed. There's that new car smell, expensive leather mixed with a cheap air freshener. It's pleasant, Josh reaches for the small glass bottle hanging off the rear-view mirror and flips it upside down allowing the thick, neon green liquid flow into the wooden cork. The air is instantly filled with memories of a Hawaiian beach as the scent is released into the air. The boy smiles softly, he's suddenly daydreaming about burying his toes into the warm sand. 

Josh jolts when Tyler roughly slams the driver's side door, too busy looking around to even notice the man get into the car. The man smiles apologetically, noticing Josh's wide eyes. The boy smiles back and starts shuffling through his bag as Tyler starts the car, pulling down the overhead mirror. He fixes his really subtle makeup real quick, not even thinking about asking first. 

"Cute," Tyler comments as he looks over and to see Josh finish applying mascara. Josh rarely wears makeup, and when he does it's barely any. Lipgloss and mascara were all he had chosen for today, praying it looked okay.

"Sorry, we don't have very good mirrors at the cafe..." The boy mumbles, gently sliding the mirror back upwards. Top teeth biting down on his lip, tongue tasting the peachy gloss. Josh put on a flavoured lip gloss this time. Just in case. He quickly puts his white leather bag down by his feet, clearing off his lap.

"It's perfectly fine. You look stunning." Josh, looking out the window, doesn't notice the brunet's bottom lip tucked between his teeth as he checks the boy out.

"Thank you." the boy mumbles quietly, head dipping down to hide his beet-red face. Josh leans his head against the spotlessly clean window, not bothering to ask where they were going. Josh trusts the man. He knows that the generic reply would be something along the lines of 'it's a surprise'

♢♢♢

Josh's eyes widen with joy when the small car passes a certain sign. He nearly squeals when the park comes into view. He knows he must've looked like a second grader, but he also really didn't care. Tyler can't help himself but smile as well of how cute his date looks. 

"Excited, hm?" Tyler notices as he turns the car off, promptly walking around to Joshua's door. The younger male smiles widely when a hand is offered to him, gladly accepting it and stepping out of the low car.

"I love the park." Josh quietly says, looking around as the two began walking down the small path. Josh's eyes dart in every direction, unable to focus on one thing. Josh admires the beauty of the small corner of nature that is the park. The boy feels Tyler's hand slide into his, he doesn't flinch or moves away. Tyler's soft fingers gently squeezing his feels natural. 

"Have you ever been up there?" Josh looks to where Tyler was gesturing with his hand. A small dirt path, slightly hidden by the trees. The boy assumes it was a shortcut because it looked not commonly used. If Tyler didn't point at it the boy wouldn't have noticed it since the thin dirt path was shrouded with shrubbery. 

"I've never seen that." Josh yelps as Tyler tugs at his hand, playfully pulling him along. Once again, he doesn't resist. It feels so natural to just hold Tyler's hand. It's incredibly warm and soft, not sweaty or anything, just pleasantly warm. Josh feels the tenderness of Tyler's skin, he's already memorized the way the man's fingers feel against his. 

Halfway up the hill, Josh feels his chest tighten. His lungs burn from lack of oxygen and he doesn't want to run another second. He slows down, still getting dragged by the man.

"Tyler, slow down for a second, p-please." Josh doesn't want to seem like he's a total wuss but physical activities never been his strong side. If he had to run from a serial killer, Josh would just give up immediately, accepting his fate. 

The man immediately stops, turning around with worry across his features. He notices the boy looks winded.

"Sorry," Tyler apologizes as he leans down a bit. Josh watches, confused until he realizes he wants to give Josh a piggyback ride. 

"Don't worry, I got you," Tyler smirked, nudging the boy softly.

Josh's eyes flash with hesitation. The boy slowly climbs up on his back, not being an asshole and jumping like most people would. Hurting his date was the last thing he wanted to do.

Josh laughs as Tyler slightly bounces, trying to get him higher up on his back. The two re-adjust until they're comfortable, Tyler's bigger hands under the curly haired boy's lower thighs to keep him in place. Josh can blush freely now since the man couldn't possibly see his face. Josh's smile stretches even wider now.

The boy doesn't expect the brunet to take off running again, not very fast since they were going uphill. He holds on tight, thin arms wrapped around Tyler's chest firmly. He laughs softly in the man's ear, Chin rested on his shoulder, admiring how strong the man was. Josh wasn't very heavy but he was a grown human. Thin or not, a human being weighs a decent amount. Tyler was carrying Josh with ease, step never faltering. 

The sun had already dipped behind the horizon, but the daylight still lingered in the air as though accidentally left behind. Tyler and Josh at the top of the hill, closer to the ledge where the only way was straight down. Josh's hands clutch Tyler's shoulders, paranoid that the man would drop him. Tyler chuckles, slowly bending down next to a bench where Josh could safely hop off. The curly-haired boy immediately plops down, legs shaky. His gaze slips away from the ledge that is dangerously close. The only thing that is separating them is the path, a small patch of grass behind it and a wooden fence. It doesn't look very secure, Josh doesn't plan on testing it though. 

Josh watches with horror as Tyler makes his way to the fence with the intent of leaning against it. Josh darts forward without even thinking, the fear evaporates immediately. 

"What are you doing?!" Josh yells at the man, unaware of how loud his voice is.

Tyler blinks rapidly, confused as to why the boy is being so dramatic.

"You could've fallen!" Josh continues yelling at the older man, an amused smile slowly creeps on his lips.

Josh doesn't understand why Tyler is smiling, the boy feels his chest tighten once again but not because he's out of breath. Josh feels dread take over his body. What if the man would've fallen? The younger boy hiccups softly, tears shrouding his big brown eyes already. He doesn't want to wipe them since it would result in smudged mascara. 

Tyler does that for him. The city lights, blinking in the distance reflects in Josh's dark orbs as the older man's hand man rises up to his face, thumb swiping the salty tears away. Josh softly nudges his face against the man's palm, feeling the warmth radiating off it. 

Tyler's head dips down, Josh's heart flutters with violent butterflies that feel more like angry wasps than fragile four-winged creatures. Tyler's breath is ghosting over the boy's lips, the man's gaze flickers as his hand cups the younger one's jaw. Josh is already closing his eyes, lips parted slightly.

"I'm sorry," Tyler whispers, lips pressing against Josh's glossy eyelids. And even though it can't compare to a kiss on the lips, Josh feels as intoxicated "I didn't know you cared so much."

"Of-Of course I care," Josh stumbles on his words "Anyone with the right mindset would've done the same."

"Come," Tyler leads the boy closer to the ledge.

Josh sighs, at least if they fall, they fall together. Tyler slaps his hand against the fence, a hollow sound echoes in the air. Josh flinches a bit and leans down to take a look. A relieved smile lights up his face when he notices that the fence is made out of metal. It's just painted over to look like wood to fit the nature's aesthetic more. 

Tyler leans against it, Josh is still uneasy but he doesn't stop the man, he's captivated by the city lights, blinking, glittering in the distance. It all looks like an unfinished jigsaw puzzle, pieces scattered all over randomly, with empty black spaces still missing. Josh takes in the gorgeous view, he's never been out so late so he had never seen how beautiful the city at night was.

"Oh," a soft sigh escapes the boy's mouth, he cannot pry his eyes off the horizon "The view is breathtaking."

"Yeah," Tyler's gaze slips away from Josh for a brief second before it returns back on his face "I found out about it recently."

"It's really beautiful."

"It really is." Tyler smiles, his hand reaches Josh's face to move his hair out of the way.

"Huh?" Josh gasps, Tyler moves quickly, lips pressing against Josh's in a feverish rush. 

The boy is taken by surprise, he tastes his own lipgloss against Tyler's lips. The man kisses him sweetly, lips as soft as two rose petals. Josh is sent to tears, he moves away fearfully, Tyler's eyes still closed as he jumps away.

"I'm sorry." Tyler apologizes "I'm- Josh, I'm sorry."

"It's o-okay," the brunet nods vigorously, fingers tapping against his glistening cheeks.

Tyler hands him a handkerchief, touching his shoulder awkwardly. Josh wipes the wetness under his eyes, even though his chest is on fire and the butterflies are jabbing at his gut, the boy feels sudden frost nipping at the very edge of him. It slowly grows, overtaking every warm feeling. 

Fear.

Josh's afraid of heartbreak. 

It's too late to shy his feelings away but he tries. Oh, he tries so hard. 

"I'm really sorry if I scared you," Tyler cannot apologize enough "It's our first date, I shouldn't have-"

The younger boy feels guilty, he nods, since words won't come out. Tyler rocks back and forth on his heels, suddenly insecure about himself and his actions. 

"Hey," Tyler suddenly grabs Josh's hand "There's something else I wanted to show you."

"What is it?" the boy questions, knowing what the answer's gonna be.

The older man smirks. 

"You'll see."


	8. Promise Me

The car ride is short, Tyler is silent, Josh is too. They don't really feel like talking at the moment. The silence is somewhat comforting for both of them. Tyler needs space to reflect and Josh processes what happened a few moments before. Close. So close, their breaths mixing, heartbeats going in synch. And it all felt so right even though it shouldn't have. It was their first date, Tyler's actions felt rushed but god damn, his lips were so warm and welcoming. Why did it feel so right?

Finally. Tyler parks his car. The ride had slowly started turning tedious. Josh is happy to finally be able to stretch his legs. The only thing the boy is not very content with is leaving the comfort of Tyler's warm car.

The curly-haired boy's heartbeat speeds up when he sees where the small black car had been parked and all the troubling thoughts melt away almost instantly. His warm eyes fill with excitement, small hand gripping tighter onto the older man's over the center console. Josh's eyes quickly shoot over to Tyler, a bright smile on his face. Pure bliss, childish excitement.

"The fair?" Joshua gasps as the brunet opens the door for him. He had already hopped out to open the door for his date.

"Indeed it is," Tyler replies, quickly linking his fingers with Josh's softer ones.

His thumb caresses the back of the boy's hand, Tyler feels Josh shaking. With anxiety or excitement, Tyler doesn't dare to ask. Both of their hands are cold, Tyler's are slightly warmer, perhaps because he's dressed slightly warmer than the younger boy. Tyler wonders if the cold nipping at his soft skin bothers the boy. Josh's reddened knuckles scream for help but the boy seems unbothered. Tyler opens his mouth with the intention of offering Josh his gloves but the boy jolts forward making Tyler bite his tongue.

The two start walking, Tyler speeds up a bit to match Josh's pace. The boy would run if Tyler wasn't holding him. They were both equally as excited but Josh's steps are a tad more rushed than the older man's. Tyler feels like he's walking with an excited puppy.

The fair bursts with artificial light. The tiny bulbs are everywhere, every shape and form. Every both has different lighting and decorations, overlapping, plastered on messily, competing against each other. Everyone wants to be the brightest, the most vibrant. The smells and the sounds mix into one, shuffling, morphing into one colourful masquerade over Josh's head. The incoherent muffled chattering of the people is suddenly drowned out by the electricity buzzing inside the wires as it travels at the speed of light, supplying each and every booth.

Josh's head is spinning, tingles running up and down his body. He feels Tyler's hand clutching his stronger. From all the colourful things at the fair, the Ferris wheel is the most prominent. Looming over everything and everyone, it spins lazily, small reflections bouncing around the environment making it look even more chaotic.

Joshua is caught up in watching the Ferris wheel and many other smaller rides that he doesn't even notice his date had already bought the pricey tickets. Josh is brought back by a tight tug on his small wrist as Tyler ties a neon green park bracelet around it.

He focuses on the older man's hands as he carefully clips the plastic together, not too tight and not too loose. Just right. Josh can tell that he tries really hard to make sure it was comfortable enough, readjusting it a few times. It's quite cute, honesty. Josh feels a sudden tightness in his chest when the man's eyes capture his, gazes meeting for a few seconds before Josh glances away shyly. The unexplained tightness slowly passes and the boy breathes freely again.

The curly-haired boy's eyes widen with joy when he sees a game he's never played before. The boy had his fair share of fair games even though he grew up kinda poor. His parents always tried to get at least one ticket to five different games. He pokes Tyler's shoulder, trying to get his attention. It's quite easy since the man doesn't take his eyes off his date for more than ten seconds.

"Can we go over there?" Josh points at the small booth with a well-lit sign that reads 'Knife Toss'. Before Tyler can even get in a response as simple as a head nod, Joshua pulls him quickly like a little kid.

Tyler reads the rules before turning around to Joshua, explaining the game. It's quite obvious but the man recites it again, giving Josh instructions in a sugary voice. He feels like protecting the boy, he had this giddy vibe to him that makes the man's brain manifest butterflies and rose gardens around him.

Josh cannot stay still, he stares at the small knife in Tyler's hands. Its rounded edges are quite blunt for a good knife but sharp enough to wedge into hardwood if you throw it hard enough.

Tyler slowly runs his finger along the rounded edge. He tilts it slightly in the light, the glint it gives off nearly blinding. He quickly glances at the target and notices how hard you'd have to throw to achieve anything.

"Here," Tyler says as he drops enough money on the small table for four shots.

He takes the knives and hands one to Josh as if the boy couldn't grab them by himself.

Josh thanks him and adjusts his hand on the grip before instantly tossing it. No aim or anything. Just brute force. He flings it too low, missing the entire target. The small metal object lands in the grass behind the target. Josh huffs but then realizes he has three more. Three more opportunities to fail, if he keeps throwing them like that.

He quickly learns he indeed is not good at aiming as he misses the target with all but one, the single one that made it nowhere near winning a prize. It's barely at the edge, hanging on by a thread. A single blow of wind could rip the knife away.

Josh pouts as he looks up at the large red-panda stuffed animal, he really wanted to win it. Tyler quickly notices, looking down and swishing his beer he had bought earlier.

"Hold my beer." Tyler murmurs, holding in a small hiccup.

"Okay..."Josh quickly grabs it from his hands, not daring to take a sip because the smell was already telling him it was gross.

Josh looks over at Tyler and takes in how good he looks. The red lights of the booth were reflecting off his smooth skin, the man's cheeks are a bit rosy from the alcohol.

Tyler stands straight, legs slightly spread for a comfortable stance. The man flicks his wrist, the knife rolling between his fingers like a rippling wave before it flings across the air with a faint whistle as it splits the air.

Josh's eyes immediately widen and a gasp passed his perfect lips as the knife jabs into the middle of the target flawlessly.

Tyler takes another knife, brows furrowed slightly as the knife lies cool on his palm. He flings it again, the tip of the dull blade slices into the target mere inches away from the previous knife. Josh's eyes cannot widen more when the third knife lands perfectly in between the two, wedged tightly. This was no luck, only one hundred percent of skill.

"How-" Joshua starts, his dry tongue failing to produce any sound.

Tyler just smiles and hands the boy the big red plush panda that Josh was dreaming to get.  
"How the hell," He questions as Tyler's beer is taken back and replaced with the large animal that's roughly half his size.

"Come here, I'll show you." Tyler gestures, still having one left. Josh slowly sets down the animal, gripping the knife.

Josh squeaks as Tyler walks behind him. He feels two strong arms around his waist.

The boy winces in pain as Tyler places one hand right over the bruise on his hip, But it goes unnoticed. The hand that isn't on his hip wraps around his fingers on the knife, angling his wrist and fingers right.

"Spread your legs a bit more." Tyler slightly kicks Josh's slim ankle, he had been standing straight up. Joshua can practically sense the smirk on his face as well.

Tyler's warm breath against the nape of the boy's neck sends tingles down his spine. Tyler shiver's too, grip intensifying.

"Keep your right foot forward," Tyler continues, his hand tenderly running up and down the boy's waist. "Left foot slightly ba-"

Tyler is cut off by a loud squeal when he tightened his hand around the boys hip. The pressure on the large, and new bruise doesn't feel too good. All because of Josh's clumsiness. The knife slips from Josh's grip and falls into the grass. The boy's eyes brims with tears. Tyler panics, he had no intention of hurting the boy and Josh feels bad as well. Tyler didn't squeeze him hard, the younger boy was just overwhelmingly sensitive.

"I'm sorry, did I-" Tyler loses his breath for a second "Did I hurt you?"

Josh shakes his head. His lip trembles as hot waves of pain send more and more throbs down his side. It feels like it's spreading and splitting when in reality it was just a little nudge and squeeze. Josh walks up to a bench to sit down, bringing his plush panda to squeeze it close to his heart. Tyler walks up to him hesitantly, hurting maybe even more than Josh.

"I'm sorry," Tyler places his hand on Josh's shoulder carefully, afraid to hurt the boy even more.

"It's okay," Josh murmurs burying his face against the soft plush toy.

"Can I-" Tyler inhales sharply, pointing at Josh's side.

The boy shrugs, he feels like dying from embarrassment and guilt right there and then on that cold bench. Tyler carefully unzips the boy's jacket and lifts his shirt up exposing the nasty looking green-ish purple bruise taking up the majority of his side. Tyler's face twists, a sudden flash of anger glimmers in his dark eyes.

"Who did this to you?" Tyler seethes, Josh buries his face in his plushie embarrassed to tell the truth.

"I-I did." Josh stutters

"Josh?" Tyler reaches for the boy's hand and cups it softly in his palms 'Tell me the truth."

"I-" Josh sighs "I'm j-just clumsy, I ran into my door and tripped... I'm telling you the truth, I swear."

"Joshie," Tyler says softly before cupping the boy's face in his hot palms "You gotta tell me everything."

"It was an accident." Josh's eyes glisten in the light.

Tyler carefully leans in even more, palms still on Josh's cheeks, cupping them with care.

"If anyone ever hurts you," Tyler says sternly, his voice almost demanding, "You tell me, understand?"

Josh nods, Tyler's palms are so pleasantly hot against his reddened cheeks. The boy closes his eyes, head leaning more into the man's burning touch. Tyler's thumb strokes the boy's face, warmth spreading rapidly inside both of their bodies.

"Promise me, Josh." Tyler speaks again "Promise that you'll tell me."

"I promise," Josh nods shyly

"Promise me that you won't let anyone hurt you."

"I promise." Josh nods again not sure if he'll be able to keep the promise.

Tyler sigh with content, his warm hands grip Josh's freezing ones.

"Promise me that you will say yes when I ask you out on a date next time," Tyler smirks

A delicate chuckle erupts from Josh's throat. His slender fingers intertwine with the older man's and it feels so right. Like two puzzle pieces put together.

"I promise."


	9. Ferris Wheel

"Two, please." the curly haired boy beams as he hands the lady at a small table twenty-four dollars. 

Josh had previously complained about prices, and how high they were, but it only resulted in his date handing him more than enough for two tickets. He was hesitant about accepting it at first but did it in the end because he really wanted to go on that ride. Josh didn't want to seem like he was taking advantage of Tyler but the man slipped the change into Josh's pocket when the boy wasn't looking. 

"Thank you," Josh mumbles politely, not catching how the older, short lady eyed the two holding hands. He feels a tighter grip on his hand and smiles, pulling his date forward with him.

Josh feels two strong arms slowly snake around his waist. The boy tenses up a bit, Tyler supporting him up by gripping his hips tightly, above the bruise that had previously hurt him, while he helps him into the elevated cart. Josh quickly shifts his large stuffed animal, leaving his right arm free to grab the railing of the small, squared cart. Joshua is about to offer a hand out to Tyler as he steadies himself and pushes up, but he quickly realized he wasn't the strongest and that would only result in being pulled down. There were only two seats, therefore Tyler and Josh are left pushed up against each other. Neither one minded. The blush dusting both of their cheeks give out how much that simple detail meant for them both. 

The wheel hasn't begun, yet Josh's eyes are darting everywhere, from light to light. He'd been to the fair multiple times, yet he'd never gone on the Ferris Wheel. Dallon wasn't one for slow rides. He liked the roller coasters that went upside down, the rides where you feel as if you're about to get ejected from the cart. Joshua had never been a fan of those. 

Josh jumps when the wheel begins to spin with a quick jolt. He hears a loud creaking coming from the white metal structuring, but its covered by the pure aesthetic music for the most part. He questions his safety for a second, but that ceases as he feels a bigger hand wrap around his smaller one, fingers intertwining immediately. All Josh's worries melt away as their fingers twist together, Josh gripping tighter than Tyler. He didn't bother to tell the man that he was scared of heights, he had barely remembered himself but as he looked down he felt light-headed for a second. The lights from below instantly meshed together and the boy felt as if he was being sucked in into a bottomless pit. There was no going back now, though, so the boy just held onto his date tightly. Tyler's warmth is comforting, soothing.

Josh is looking out into the distance, the glow of the fairgrounds stealing his gaze. Joshua's eyes traces along the rides that were taller than the current one they were on, following the patterns of flickering, changing lights that were built along the structuring. His breath hitches when his eyes dropped down to the ground, they were a lot higher than he originally thought.

Josh nearly squeals in joy when he feels two, soft lips lightly touch his cheek. They linger there for a second, Joshua's face dusting over with a deep rose colour. He glances down at his lap where both Tyler's and his hands are rested, a smile stretching his cheeks almost painfully.

"Hey, look at me," Tyler whispers, soft air hitting Josh's cheek

The second Joshua makes eye contact with him, he's shooting his gaze towards the ground. His face is unbelievably red, he doesn't want Tyler to tease him for it. Josh looks at all the people seventy feet below them, they look like small ants running around.

"Josh?" Josh's eyes widen as Tyler gently places his fingers on his chin, turning his head to face the older one. "Are you okay?" 

Josh nods slowly, focusing on the way Tyler's hand traces his cheekbone.

"Better than okay."

Tyler hadn't originally planned to kiss the boy again, considering how he reacted against his actions the first time. He just wanted to admire how beautiful the boy was with the fair lights reflecting against his soft, smooth skin. Josh's eyes glisten, pure joy glowing through the deep brown. Tyler can't help himself as he watches the way Joshua's lips move as he talks, slightly parted. It was irresistible. 

This time Tyler is taken by surprise when he feels two feather-like lips against his own. The man's eyes flutter shut as he kisses back. Joshua tugs his date down, soft fingers gripping the man's lapel rather aggressively. They're almost at the same height, Tyler is still hunching over and Josh's head is tipping upwards. Tyler smiles into the kiss, feeling a gentle hand on his shoulder, Joshua completely unsure of what to do with his free hand. It roams across the man's broad shoulder and down his arm where their fingers touch and intertwine.

"I really like you." Josh softly states as they are pulling back, still close enough to feel each other's breath

"Oh, thank God," Tyler breathes out, lips parting for another kiss

Joshua's in pure bliss, his stomach is on fire, a volcano is about to explode. His eyes squeezing shut no matter how much he wants to see the man's face all the time. Keeping your eyes open would be creepy. The boy completely gives in, his confidence is gone, his fingers aren't gripping Tyler's coat anymore. The man takes the lead and deepens the kiss, his tongue carefully darting forward till Josh finally opens his mouth. 

Their kiss is cut short by a loud bang, followed by violent hissing. Josh's eyes shoot open, he backs away, startled. Tyler licks his lips slowly, laughing afterward. The sky is suddenly every colour of the rainbow, sparkling brighter than the sun. Josh stares at the sky fascinated, every other sound is drowned out by the thundering of the fireworks. Their cart is at the very top now, Josh can practically taste the gunpowder in the air. The boy's hands rise into the sky, a genuine laugh erupting from his chest. Tyler laughs with him, only more timidly not wanting to overpower the boy's melodic voice. 

The sparks fly high in the sky, Josh's eyes sparkling as much as the fiery snakes in the sky, maybe even more. As the last firework explodes into the air, Tyler grabs Josh's face and takes his breath away with a kiss. 

"I really really like you," Tyler laughs, his chest heaving rapidly

Josh bites his lip, nodding.

"I do too,"

The last spark finally disappears into the cold air, the usual fair noises reach Josh's ears but he's too overwhelmed to hear anything clearly. He feels Tyler's hand slide down on his thigh, squeezing it slightly. The boy is greeted by a heatwave but it passes, Tyler moves his hand and wraps it around Josh's shoulders instead. The warmth at the pit of the boy's stomach lingers the whole ride home. Their date is ended early by a storm. The fair closes without a warning, leaving Josh sad and disappointed that he didn't have the chance to try the other game or some other cool rides. Tyler promises the boy that he'll take him to the fair again soon. 

By the time they reach their house, it's completely dark. It's storming so hard that Josh has to hold onto Tyler to not trip as the wind yanks both of their coats back and forth.

They both stumble into Josh's house giggling, rain was able to whip both of their backs. Josh hangs his wet coat on the hanger offering Tyler to take him as well. The man doesn't resist, his shoes are already slipped off. Josh is a bit shy to bring another person that isn't Dallon into his house. He doesn't have to worry about the mess because he is a tidy person but the brunet still feels a bit anxious. Judging by Tyler's attire and the way he was spoiling the younger boy, he's much wealthier and his house or apartment is definitely much nicer than Josh's.

Josh expects Tyler to be disgusted in the state of his old house but the man seems incredibly curious, he glances around the living room with a soft smile on his lips. Josh excuses the man, he rushes into his room to change. The boy's clothes are damp and uncomfortable. He slips into comfortable shorts, tucks his shirt in and throws on a fuzzy cardigan that's way too big on him. The fact that he's drowning in it makes it look even cuter.

Josh comes downstairs, offering Tyler to change out of his wet clothes. The man accepts the shirt and the sweatpants. Josh quickly turns away and rushes into the kitchen to make something to drink when the older man starts slipping out of his attire. Josh's cheeks are already red, he hears Tyler quietly folding his clothes.

The boy makes two cups of hot coffee. For him and Tyler, only Josh's is sweetened by three lumps of sugar and whipped cream on top. Josh sets the cup on the table and sits in front of the man, eyeing him down demurely. His toes are wiggling inside his fuzzy socks from nervousness. He cannot come up with an interesting conversation topic.

"Do you live alone?" Tyler breaks the uncomfortable silence

Josh is sitting across the man with a mug in his hands, Tyler's is placed on the small coffee table in front of him

"Yep," he nods, the mug with his hot beverage sinking into his sweater paws "This used to be my grandma's house before she-" 

Tyler's eyebrows curl upwards. He sighs heavily.

"I'm sorry,"

"It's okay," the younger boy tries to crack a smile "It was a long time ago."

Tyler nods, his eyes land on the untouched coffee mug.

"I'm sorry I'm not a fan of black coffee," Tyler states 

"What?" Josh asks softly "I thought you liked black coffee. "

"Oh, I do?" Tyler's eyes shift almost like he's a completely different person for a second 

"Yeah, you told me," Josh slowly leans in to place his cup on the table.

Tyler stares at the boy for a second, the man almost looks confused. Soon his face changes back to normal and the same sweet smile curves his lips.

"Oh, yeah I-" the man chuckles nervously, his hand reaching out for the cup "Yeah...Forgot."

Josh turns away just in time. Tyler's face twitches in disgust as the bitter liquid runs down his throat. Josh grabs his phone charger off the floor.

"How did that get here?" he thinks out loud "I put it away yesterday."

"I tend to misplace things too," Tyler smiles "It just... It's like I black out and suddenly I'm making glittery slime out of glue and starch."

Josh laughs softly. The wind from the outside intensifies, the rain is whipping against the windows. Josh has a worried look on his face, the low rumble of the thunder makes it even worse. 

"I don't think you should drive at this kind of weather," Josh states shyly "M-maybe you want to..."

The boy cuts off, he suddenly realizes what he's about to offer.

"A sleepover sounds great," Tyler shifts closer, Josh regrets not sitting right next to him because the man's chest looks so warm

"I'll get you blankets then," Josh stands up, Tyler follows after

"I'll help you," Tyler smirks "I also wanna see what your room looks like."

"No-" Josh yaps, suddenly panic is rushing through him "I mean- It's m-messy."

"It's okay, my room is a mess too," Tyler assures

Josh has no courage to resists so he just lets the man follow him into his room. Josh expects Tyler to laugh but once again the man doesn't show any kind of emotion like he's not surprised that Josh has such a nerdy room. Tyler navigates through it freely, picking stuff up and putting it back. 

"It's cute," Tyler bites his lip, goosebumps growing on Josh's skin

"Y-you think so?" Josh asks

The man moved closer, Josh felt the fire ignite in his stomach again.. Darkness engulfs both of them and the room. A bright flash strikes the sky and the light bulb pops, a hiss following after. Josh squeaks, jumping into Tyler's arms instantly. The man chuckles, arms wrapping around Josh.

"Scared of the dark?" Tyler whispers.

Josh nods his head vigorously, face pressed against Tyler's warm chest. The man smells so good that all Josh wants to do at that moment is stand there and smell him. 

"Don't worry. I'll protect you," the older man whispers "Where are the blankets?"

The boy guides Tyler through the dark, finding the blankets and pillows promptly. They head downstairs, Josh feels bad that his couch is so uncomfortable to sleep on. Josh sets it up as best as he could, he even has the courage to go upstairs again to scavenge for some more blankets to make Tyler's slumber a little more pleasant. Tyler doesn't seem to mind the couch or maybe he's just not telling anything to Josh.

The power is still out, Tyler suggests checking the fuse box but Josh disagrees, afraid that Tyler might get hurt even if he had known about that kind of stuff. Josh kept forgetting that Tyler was a handyman. They're both sitting in the dark, exchanging small talk. Josh can still feel Tyler's kiss on his lips when they were at the fair earlier. Josh wants to kiss the man again but has zero courage to do so. He's waiting for the right opportunity but it never comes so Josh just swallows his anxiety and leans in.

"Josh-" Tyler breathes softly before their lips crash together

Josh buries his fingers in Tyler's soft locks, lips pressing together sloppily. Josh doesn't want to be soft, he wants Tyler's lips on his and he doesn't care if he's making it sloppy. Tyler lets out a deep groan, the man's hands find their way to Josh's hips in the dark and suddenly their bodies are pressing twice as hard against each other than before. Josh feels the heat spread all over his body, his insides turn to mush and simmer, bubbling more and more as they kiss. 

Tyler breathes softly, tongue darting forward, waiting for Josh to open his mouth. The boy parts his lips more with a soft moan, their tongues finally meeting midway and the air is suddenly hot and heavy. 

"Tyler," the boy gasps, two hands slowly wandering under and up his shirt.

"Josh," Tyler responds, his hands on Josh's ribs, caressing the boy's smooth skin.

Josh's arms wrap around the back of Tyler's neck, Tyler's hips thrust forward as he lifts the younger boy up a bit and flips him on his back. Josh can't see very well since the power is out and the room is almost pitch black but Tyler's hot and heavy breathing is more than enough. 

A wet kiss against Josh's neck leaves a mark that Josh cannot see yet. Tyler bites down, softly enough to make it pleasurable and Josh quivers from the man's touch, legs wrapping around his torso. Josh blushes after his lungs push out a sweet moan. He feels Tyler's lips form a smile against his neck for a second before the man goes back to ravaging his skin with his lips. 

Josh is feeling hot, so hot that in fact, he doesn't need his fuzzy cardigan anymore. It ends up being thrown on the ground, Tyler's fingers tugging at the boy's shirt as well but Josh stops him.

"Tyler I-"

A harsh buzz fills the room and suddenly they're illuminated by warm light. The storm continues to rage outside but at least the power is back on. Josh can finally see the man and the fire in the pit of his stomach freezes over. Josh realizes how insecure he is with his body and there's no way he'll be able to do it. Tyler is already taking his shirt off, slipping it over his head and throwing it on the floor. 

Josh touches the man's toned chest for a brief moment wanting to feel Tyler's skin, just to pull away instantly. Tyler leans in for a kiss and Josh's hand stops him.

"Tyler, I can't." Josh whispers, his words shaky

Tyler lets out a sigh, his eyes full of understanding. He plants a chaste kiss on Josh's warm forehead and sits up allowing the younger boy to do so as well. 

"I'm sorry-" Josh starts

"Don't," Tyler's hand lands on top of Josh's "You don't have to."

"But-" Josh starts again just to be cut off by Tyler

"You don't have to explain yourself, okay?" the man chuckle is like a silver bell "If you say no that means no and I respect that."

Josh responded with a small "okay". Tyler was still sitting on the bed shirtless. Josh tried to peel his gaze away but the view was just too good. 

"So I guess we should go to sleep now?" Josh questioned

"If you want to," Tyler bit his lip slowly as he eyed Josh up and down lewdly

The younger boy squeaked, of course, Tyler was just teasing him but he still felt tingles run up and down his lower tummy. Josh held his arms in front of him, fingers laced with each other. Tyler handed Josh his cardigan and the boy immediately wrapped it around his body. 

"Aren't you hungry?" Josh asked before heading upstairs

"Not really."

"Oh, okay." Josh nodded "If you get h-hungry you can raid the fridge... Only if y-you want."

"I'll have that in mind," the older man chortled 

Josh rocked back and forth on his heels before deciding that it's time for him to go upstairs.

"Goodnight, Ty." Josh chirped, aware of the nickname he just gave the man

A soft chuckle left the man's throat

"Goodnight, love."


	10. Soothing Melody

Josh wakes to the calm pitter-pattering of the rain against his bedroom window. The sound brings a calmness to mind, a soothing melody, a natural lullaby. Josh instantly feels like closing his eyes and falling back asleep but he has to wake up to go to work. He glances at his phone, it's still too early to get up but the man wants to have a normal breakfast once in a while then just a handful of dry cereal. Josh feels how early it is, there is still no light seeping through his curtains. He checks the time again, paranoid that he woke up for no reason. Josh tends to wake up in the middle of the night often. He would jolt awake thinking that there's someone walking downstairs when in reality it was just his old house creaking as the wind passed. he got used to that but it still was pretty annoying.

Josh stretches for a few minutes, wiggling in the sheets trying to force his body to stand up. Finally, the boy steps out of the bed, cool floorboards nipping at his soft skin. The boy slips into his bunny slippers. Soon the room is filled with fresh air when the boy opens the window. The curly-haired boy enjoys the breeze for a few seconds before shutting the window. He doesn't want his room to get too cold, he still has to change. 

Josh creeps downstairs. The boy is still in his pajamas since his outfit is in the laundry room where he forgot to take it back to the closet when he took it out of the dryer. Josh's outfit consists of pink silky shorts with green t-rexes printed all over the fabric. His oversized shirt is inside out, Josh didn't really care about that, he lived alone. He would've slept naked if he wasn't so insecure about his body. The knee-high socks are hugging his legs comfortably, the boy wishes that he could climb back into his bed and sleep till noon. He can't. He has to go to work.

Josh doesn't notice anything out of ordinary till his feet are almost at the last step. He stops and listens, there's faint music coming out of his kitchen. The boy slows down, trying to remember if he left the radio on. Josh's fingers scratch his curls, the boy is confused. Only when his gaze slips across his dimly lit living room and he notices the messy couch, He remembers the last night. 

Suddenly, he's fighting the urge to scurry upstairs and hide under the covers. Josh panics, thinking maybe he can slip past the kitchen and into the laundry room to grab his clothes. There is no way Josh will let Tyler see his inside-out pajamas.

"Hey, good morning," Josh stops dead in his tracks, hands trembling

Tyler is leaning against the door frame, his sleeves rolled back. The man had changed back into his own clothes, they had dried overnight. The older man has an oven mitten on his right hand, Josh senses a pleasant sweet smell coming from the kitchen. 

"Mornin'," Josh utters shyly, he tugs at his shirt unconsciously wanting to hide his pudgy thighs

"Breakfast is ready," Tyler gestures at the kitchen with his head 

"Y-you made breakfast?" The boy's cheeks light up once again

"Of course I did," Tyler stops leaning against the door frame "Did you think that I was going to leave?"

"I don't-" Josh is flustered again once Tyler's hands wrap around his waist "I don't know."

"I'm not a very good cook but I tried really hard." Tyler leans in, Josh panics not knowing what to do

Tyler stops half-way, biting his lip. He's waiting for Josh to get his composure back but the boy is already a pile of gelatin. Tyler continues leaning in and kisses Josh anyway. The boy is at the verge of a cardiac arrest, his soft heart is beating against his ribs like thunder. 

Tyler's lips are so soft compared to Josh's. He didn't even have time to brush his teeth or wash his face. The man is kissing him slowly, with short pauses to let the boy catch his breath. Once he pulls away, Josh is a completely different colour than he was when he woke up. Tyler's thumb caresses the boy's cheek, still warm and rosy from sleep. 

A question arises in Josh's mind but the boy is too ashamed to speak up. He just stares the man into his whiskey eyes without saying anything. Tyler is silent, he senses that the boy wants to say something but doesn't know how to approach the situation. 

"What is it?" Tyler finally speaks, bringing Josh's cold hands up to his chest

"Are we dating?" Josh blurts out, he's biting his lip in regret moments after

The older man chuckles, his lips plant a kiss on Josh's knuckles

"Do you want us to?" Tyler teases

"Yes," Josh nods, speaking quieter after that "I-if you want to."

"I'd love to," 

Tyler's smile is sweet, sickeningly sweet. Like a child's who finally got what they wanted after numerous attempts and countless tantrums thrown. 

Josh gets on his tippy toes to receive a kiss, Tyler is happy to fulfill the boy's wishes. 

"Breakfast is gonna get cold," Tyler whispers, their forehead's pressed together

Josh sits down at the table, a plate with three muffins is placed on the table in front of him. Tyler sets a glass of lemon tea in front of Josh. The boy didn't even know that he had lemons. The man sits in front of him with a coffee mug in his hand. The dark liquid is still steaming hot. Josh eyes down the drink, confusion reflecting in them. 

"You're drinking black coffee?" Josh asks timidly, Tyler's fingers twitch around the mug.

"Yes," Tyler answers quietly, the mug rises up to his mouth "What?"

"You-" Josh takes a deep breath filled with frustration "Nevermind."

Josh tries to ignore the thought nagging at the back of his brain. Sometimes he couldn't understand Tyler at all. Maybe it was just him or maybe Tyler was a little bit weird. Indecisive. Josh brushed that thought off, everyone had something weird about them. Tyler's weird thing was that he couldn't choose if he likes black coffee or not. It was kinda hilarious if you think about it. Kinda odd as well. 

The muffins are delicious, Josh is certain that Tyler lied that he's a bad cook to impress Josh. How could a bad cook make such heaven out of some eggs and flour? Josh cannot finish all of the muffins, he can barely eat one. He shares the other one with Tyler who would rather see Josh finish it himself. The third one is put in the fridge for later consumption. 

Josh is on time for work again. He wishes to stay home with Tyler but the man has to go to work as well. 

Josh tries as hard as he could to get ready faster but he keeps dropping everything. His toothpaste, his hairbrush, his deodorant. He knows Tyler is waiting for him downstairs so he can walk him to work. Finally, Josh is ready but something catches his attention. The boy rubs his fingers against a dark red spot along his neck, praying that that's just a random smudge. No matter how hard he rubs, it doesn't budge and Josh begins panicking. The boy tries applying makeup and it makes his neck look a little better but the red mark still shines through his concealer. 

Finally, the brunet gives up and wraps a scarf around his neck to conceal the love bite at least until he gets to work. 

"Cute, " Tyler points at Josh's scarf when he finally walks out the door

"You don't have to walk me, " the boy murmurs 

"But I want to, " Tyler keeps on walking, Josh doesn't mind his company

Josh wishes that their trip would've been longer but they have to say goodbye for now. 

"We'll meet up after work, okay?" Tyler suggests

"Okay, " Josh wraps his arms around the man for a goodbye hug 

"I'll swing by if I have time." Tyler's lips press against Josh's forehead 

"Please do, " Josh giggles

"I'll try, love, " Tyler says sweetly 

Josh gives Tyler one last kiss before heading into the coffee shop. The boy has the brightest smile on his face and it seems that nothing can erase it from his lips.


	11. Into Pieces

Dallon is already at the counter, refilling the receipt paper. The man's forehead creasing as he tries to jam the roll into its place. Josh walks past the tall boy, hand gently brushing over his shoulder. The man inhales sharply, his shoulders tensing up from the touch. Josh places down his bag, stuffing the scarf inside promptly. Maybe the bruise on his neck goes unnoticed. 

"Mornin'," Josh chirps, wrist his hands around the taller boy's waist

Dallon murmurs a quiet "good morning", his gaze avoiding Josh's. The boy doesn't think it's weird or rude. He hops onto the counter, butt resting on the edge as his legs lightly sway back and forth.

"Dude-" Dallon lifts his head up wanting to scold his friend

"I'm sorry," Josh hops down, taking the paper roll out of Dallon's hands "You're doing it wrong."

"I don't know how to change it," the man complains, rubbing his sore fingers

"It's not rocket science," Josh clicks the receipt paper in place "You just gotta twist and push. That's it." 

"It's not that simple," Dallon whines "This thing is so old."

"We'll be getting a new model soon, suck it up," Josh's knuckles graze against Dallon's shoulder in a playful way "Until then, I'll be changing the paper, don't worry."

Dallons soft smile that was gracing his lips slowly drops. He stares Josh into his eyes but can't help his eyes from wandering on and fixating on the boy's neck. Dallon sees the love bite shining through the boy's concealer. It's not that visible but Dallon is observant. He eyes down the boy's bitten down lip and messy bed hair. Something slimy coils under the taller boy's heart and he can't stop something sarcastic roll off his tongue.

"Thanks..." Dallon rolls his eyes "My saviour."

Josh smiles at his friend's remark, not sensing the venom on his tongue. Dallon pushes past Josh, grazing his shoulder against the shorter boys in the process. 

"Dallon!" Josh yaps, a giggle erupting from his chest "Careful."

The dark-haired boy doesn't respond, he's slamming a damp rag on top of the counter. Dallon scrubs the already spotless counter vigorously, teeth gritting as he moves his hand. Josh has an empty cup in his hand, pen spinning in his hand slowly as he ponders how many different ways there is to spell the name "Tyler" wrong.

"Hey, Dal?" Josh calls out

"Mhm..." the man responds, not lifting his head a bit

"How else could I misspell the name Tyler?" Josh bites the end of his pen 

"I d-" Dallon bites his tongue realizing how harsh he's being

Josh doesn't notice that he keeps rambling happily, unaware of his friend's feelings.

"I spelled it as Taylor the first time and the second one but if I did that for the third time it would get old, ya know?" Josh beams

Dallon's jaw clenches, he wants to respond but if he opens his mouth he might hurt his friend and he doesn't want that. The green slimy snake under his heart is telling him otherwise.

"But if I spelled it with different letters like "Toiler" it wouldn't make sense because, man, who's stupid enough to spell it like that? Right? So I was thinking-"

"Josh, I don't care." Dallon stings, his tone cold and sharp

Josh bites his lip and shuts up. He inhales sharply, the boy's lip trembling for a few seconds before a soft smile lights his face.

"I'm gonna spell it as "Tayler"," Josh murmurs to himself, a soft snicker is heard from Dallon

Josh presses his lips tightly together trying to brush off his friend's behaviour. Dallon is acting weirdly this morning. He just snapped out of nothing, Josh did not know what angered the man so much. The curly-haired boy is calm and collected by nature, he manages to shrug it off even though Dallon's tone hurt his heart, made it tremble painfully for a second. 

Dallon wasn't in the mood for talking. Josh didn't bug him. The curly-haired boy thought that his friend was just grumpy because he was tired or climbed out of his bed with the wrong foot but it was something else. The boy was watching how the man is behaving when customers approach him. Josh would glance over to Dallon to see if his friend is as grumpy and rude with everyone as he is with him. To Josh's surprise, Dallon was the sweetest.

Josh was hurt. Dallon was angry at him and he didn't know what for and how to fix it. He would just glance away every time Josh approached him wanting to talk. The boy is very hurt but he decided to fix everything as soon as possible.

"Hey, Dallon?" Josh calls out timidly when he has the chance 

Dallon's not busy but he pretends that he is. The boy's fingers grasp the mop, Josh sighs softly. 

"I'm busy." the taller boy grumbles already dunking soap into the bucket

Josh walks up to him, his hand grips his friend's wrist in a soft clasp forcing Dallon to let go of the broom.

"Look at me," Josh's voice is still soft, yet he sounds demanding

The taller boy rolls his eyes and finally, for the first time in five hours Dallon looks Josh in the eyes willingly, not just on accident. Josh studies Dallon's face trying to figure out what the hell was wrong. He didn't do anything to hurt the boy so why was he avoiding Josh at all cost?

"What's wrong?" 

"Nothing." 

Josh's grip tightens and he drags his friend further away from the counter so that the customers wouldn't have a chance to eavesdrop. Josh shakes his head ins disbelief.

"I don't believe you." Josh holds Dallon's wrists firmly "You've been avoiding me the whole day."

"I'm tired-" Dallon tries to excuse himself

"I'm tired too, Dallon." Josh scoffs "But I don't act like a complete dick."

"I said..." Dallon snaps his hand out of Josh's grip "I'm tired."

"Dallon, please, I-" Josh feels a mix of emotions rush violently throughout his body 

"Why are you so concerned with me?" Dallon's arms flail in the air "I'm fine. Go text Tyler, or something. I don't know."

Josh's teeth abuse his bottom lip, the boy sighs once again. It's tough but he tries as hard as he can. 

"I'm concerned with you because you're my friend and-" Josh's head shake in confusion "Wait, what does Tyler have to do with any of this?"

Dallon inhales through his gritted teeth. His movements strained with frustration as he tries not to look Josh in his eyes. The taller boy's expression stiffens once again, there's that same slimy feeling in his heart. He can't take the venom building up, he has to spew it out.

"Because Tyler is apparently the only thing you're talking about right now!" Dallon's words sting again.

Josh is confused, he doesn't understand yet.  
"I mentioned him one time-" the boy blinks away his small tears

Dallon snickers, already turning away from his teary-eyed friend. His own heart trembles but the venom is already spreading inside of him, taking over his heart. Dallon feels a scorching hot feeling pressure his chest, like a heartburn but it's much more toxic, almost like poison. 

"Yet." Dallon snickers, he's not usually like this "Soon you'll forget that I even exist."

"Dallon, what do you mean, you're my best friend-" Josh is at the verge of crying, it hurts to see how much Dallon doesn't care, or at least pretends not to care

"Which you don't even call anymore," the taller boy folds his hands over his chest "Some friend you are."

"Dallon, I'm sorry if you're mad about the movie night," Josh smacks his forehead suddenly remembering about the forgotten plans with Dallon "But yesterday it was raining so much, even Tyler-"

Josh stops mid-sentence, Dallon is glancing at him sideways, a mocking smile on his lips.

"Tyler what?" Dallon questions "Finish your sentence." 

"T-Tyler couldn't go home because of th-the storm." Josh stammers, his voice shaky

"Oh, so he's living with you now?" Dallon's face shifts to red

"It was just one night..." Josh sniffles "It was storming."

"Oh, some night it was," Dallon points at Josh's neck "Hope you had fun."

Josh feels a cold shiver at the nape of his neck. Seeing his friend act like that hurts so much. Dallon is angry because Josh forgot the movie night or perhaps it's something different. Something stronger behind his eyes. 

"Why d-do you even care?" the shorter boy replies 

Dallon just sighs, biting his lip several times until it almost bleeds. He's torn between his feelings. The dark-haired boy cares about Josh so much and would never ever do anything to hurt him and yet, at the same time he wants to spew his venom to sting his heart and make him bleed as he did.

"I just don't like you hanging out with random dudes," Dallon tries to be calm and collected, he fails and ends up sounding sarcastic

"Ty is not just some random dude, he's-" Josh pauses, seeing how Dallon's eyes shift when he hears that Josh had already given Tyler a nickname

"Did you see how he looks at you?" Dallon doesn't even know what he's saying anymore " As if he owns you."

"He-" Josh swallows thickly "He does."

"What?!" Dallon snaps completely making Josh jump slightly

The boy tips his head down to hide the redness of his face.

"We're dating." 

"Since-" Dallon feels tears creeping into his eyes but he cannot show that he's upset, oh no "Since when?"

"Yesterday... ish." Josh shrugs 

Dallon's face is red from anger, he feels a flame ignite in his temples and it won't go away. The pain twitches his veins and all Dallon can see is red. It's mixing with a string of blue that makes his heart throb in his chest painfully.

"You don't even know him!"

"I do." Josh's eyes already glossy, a little bit more and they'll spill 

Dallon doesn't hide his anger anymore, he kicks the bucket away, slamming the broom back into the closet. Josh is pressed up against the wall, scared for his own safety. Dallon never gets angry but today he was a completely different person. 

"You do, huh?" his voice is so loud that the customers probably hear everything at this point "Really? You know him so damn well, don't you?"

"Dallon, please-" Josh is cut off

"Tell me more about this Tyler then," Dallon continues "I'm sure you two are so close, in fact, you don't even need me anymore."

"That's not-" Josh cannot speak up since his friend keeps on rambling and cutting him off every time

"I've known you for so long and you go ahead and betray me like that?"

"Dallon, it's not like we can't be friends anymore..."

"Yes it's like that," the tall boy is at the verge of tears as well, only he's keeping it in better than the boy in front of him 

"What are you trying to say?" Josh yells, he cannot be quiet anymore

"I'm trying to say that he's not worthy of you!"

"And who decides that for me?" Josh is screaming, tears rolling down his pale cheeks "You?"

"I am your friend-"

"So is Tyler!" Josh's hands push against Dallon's chest angrily "And you cannot decide who's worthy to be my friend or not because it's my life and you can't control it."

"I care about you, okay?" Dallon's fingers thread through his own hair nervously

"That's not how a caring friend would react!" Josh pushes Dallon 

"It is, I just-"

"Why are you so concerned with my personal life?!" The boy can't yell any louder "Why are you so angry that-"

"Because I love you!" Dallon doesn't let the boy finish his sentence, he already knows what the boy is gonna say so he saves himself some heartbreak

Josh's eyes widen, he backs away slowly, hands falling to his sides hopelessly. Dallon exhales a short breath through his nose and wipes his eyes.

"I love you..." Dallon repeats, the dam in his eyes breaking as the tears spill freely 

"I thought you'd be happy for me," Josh says in a shaky voice

"How can I be?" 

Josh backs away shaking his head. He pushes past the boy and walks to the break room. Dallon follows after forgetting the customers that are probably waiting for their orders. 

"It hurts to see you like this, Dal," the curly-haired boy lets out a sigh 

"It hurts me more to see you with him." the man replies, finally sitting down on the couch next to the boy after a few hesitant attempts "E-every time I picture my future it's with you."

Dallon pauses, emotions shifting behind his eyes. He can't look at Josh, it would hurt too much so the man chooses to stare at the floor instead.

"But now I don't see anything," Dallon sniffles "And it's all his fault."

The man suddenly stands up and grabs his coat. Josh follows after.

"Where are you going?" he questions

"Away," Dallon says coldly 

"Don't do anything stupid," Josh clings onto the man

"I'm not you," The tall boy glares

"Excuse me?" Josh lets go of the man immediately "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I can't even look at you right now."

"It's not like I betrayed you!" Josh snaps, anger suddenly rising in bubbles "I didn't even know you liked me!"

"Too fucking bad that you're that dumb, isn't it?" Dallon sneers, breaking Josh's heart into pieces

Josh doesn't respond to that. He watches the man collect his coat and walk out the door. He stands there sniffling and hurt. The boy's heart pounding painfully in his chest. What did he do? Dallon's emotions got ahold of him and it wasn't his fault but The curly-haired boy was still angry.

The tall boy showed up only when the working hours were over to collect his stuff. He didn't say a word to Josh. The only interaction from him was a cold, empty gaze.


	12. Silly Boy

Joshua sighs as he pushes the glass door of the cafe open. He quickly turns left, squeaking as he feels himself run into something or rather someone. The curly-haired boy winces as the freshly made cup of coffee in his hand splashes around onto his sleeve. His wrist burns as it soaks in, he switches the cup to the other hand so he can freely shake the burning sensation away.

"I'm so sorr- Tyler?" Josh starts, cutting himself off upon seeing the man standing in front of him.

"Josh? I'm sorry for not showing up during the day," Tyler gestures downward toward his dirty work outfit. "I got caught up in my job."

"Oh, that's fine." The boy suddenly remembered the boiling hot coffee in his hands, carefully handing it to Tyler. "I made you this." 

Joshua watches the older man take a big sip of the warm beverage, not even phased by the burning sensation on his tongue. He chuckles as Tyler notices the cup labeled with 'Tayler' in thick black cursive letters, a light dust of pink covering his face. Joshua guesses it's from the cold. 

The two continue staring at each other, Joshua's mind wandering back to earlier and what Dallon had said to him. His lip quivers, he strains to keep his tears hidden as they build up in his eyes. How could his best friend say something like that? He hadn't even known that he had such feelings for him. Had the boy really been oblivious, had it been out there and he just wasn't getting the hints? He fights to keep down the feeling in his chest.

"Josh, are you okay?" The neon lights of the shops 'closed' sign reflect off his tear-filled eyes. 

Josh nods, but that's quickly contradicted when a quiet sob is let out of his chest.

Tyler immediately snaps the plastic lid onto his coffee, setting it down on the ground next to them; out of reach so it isn't able to get kicked over. He quickly steps forward hoping to not scare the crying boy, cradling his head into his warm chest. The cold air nips at the two but they don't take that in mind, Tyler's only focus on the boy.

"Who caused this?" The taller man asks, thumb grazing along Joshua's cheeks as he wipes away the salty tears. He sighs out in shock and presses a gentle kiss to his forehead.

"I- Dallon and I got in a f-fight," Josh gasps in between sobs, running his sweater paws across his face to collect the escaped tears. "It's fine th-though." 

"It doesn't seem fine." Tyler points out as he runs a hand up and down Josh's back in a calming matter, lips already pressing a chaste kiss against the boy's forehead

"It is. He was just frustrated," The boy had stopped crying, still holding tightly onto the man.

Tyler doesn't question why he was so frustrated, but he knew one thing. He didn't like Dallon, he didn't like anyone who hurt his precious.

"Why don't I take you somewhere to cheer you up?" Tyler starts, quickly thinking over ideas as to what the boy enjoyed. "You like Avengers, right?"

Josh nods quickly, not questioning Tyler's knowledge of that. The man has seen Joshua's room, the nerdy aspect of it. Tyler and Dallon are the only people who had ever seen that side of the boy. Tyler feels him nod against his chest and gently smiles, leaning down to grab his coffee. He connects his fingers with Josh's and gives him a gentle kiss.

"Then, let's go."

\---

Tyler watches Josh with admiration in his eyes as the boy is nearly shaking from excitement in his seat. They almost missed it since Tyler needed to go home to change out of his work attire. The movie theatre was packed, everyone excited to see The Avengers newest release. Tyler, unfortunately, doesn't care too much for these types of movies but he wanted to make his date happy. Sci-fi and superhero movies are just not Tyler's cup of tea. 

The two had their hands connected over the middle cup holder of the seats, Joshua's joy showing further through his tight grip on the man's hand. Tyler sighs as settles back in his chair, cringing as he feels the person behind him kick their feet up on the chair. He doesn't say anything for sake of being nice around Josh, but god, does he want to shove their feet. 

The lights lower when the previews end and Tyler closely watches the way Josh's eyes glow. He smiles widely when he feels the boy lean against him, head on his shoulder as he pays close attention to the movie.

Tyler can't keep his focus on the movie, thoughts floating around aimlessly. He focuses in and out for over half the movie, watching people who got up to leave or refill their popcorn.

Tyler's unfocused gaze on the large screen is interrupted when someone two rows in front of the couple get up to leave. The movie screen blasts a flash of white, providing enough light to reflect off the tall man's face. Tyler smirks to himself as he recognized the face. Who knew Dallon was an Avengers fan too?

"I'll be right back." Tyler gently whispers in his date's ear, letting go of his hand and standing up. He manages to get out of the row after nearly tripping on a few pairs of legs. 

Tyler curses under his breath but then apologizes knowing that Josh can still hear him. A fake smile graces his lips as he climbs over the trash the people had set on the ground. Fucking nasty pigs, Tyler's teeth grit seeing popcorn being spread around. 

The brunet pauses for a second when he exits the theatre room, eyes tracing faces in the lobby. He's thankful that Dallon is quite tall, he stands out and gives off a trail for the man to follow. Tyler waits a minute before pushing through the crowd and slowly opening the bathroom door.

Dallon freezes as he looks up in the mirror, Tyler standing a few feet behind him. He glares at the man before continuing to wash his hands, thinking he'd go away. He prays Tyler would go away, he didn't want to talk.

"Jeez, someone's grumpy," Tyler says in a fake offence, displaying his hand on his chest as if he's hurt. Dallon turns off the sink and leans against it, not bothering to dry his hands as he clenches them in tight fists.

"Don't worry, because I am too." Dallon's features cross with confusion, he swears he sees Tyler's eyes glint in a different way. They held something behind them. Anger. 

Within a blink, Tyler's got his hand roughly on the man's shoulder. He spins him around and tightly grabs his lapel. Dallon groans rather loudly as his back collides with the wall. The man almost chokes on his shirt collar for a second as he feels himself briefly lifted off the ground.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Dallon hisses, eyes blank as he stares at the man he hates.

Dallon's hands land on Tyler's trying to pry them off but Tyler is so much stronger, it's scary. 

"What's wrong with me? Oh, What's wrong with you. You hurt someone precious to me." The man tightens his grip on Dallon's shirt, keeping his hands planted. He doesn't plan to go as far as hitting him, but he worries for his anger taking over. He can't control himself, sometimes. 

One of Dallon's hands that still dripping water grips Tyler's wrist, trying to loosen the grip. Tyler removes his hand and shakes Dallon's cold hand off. He places his hand on his chest, right by his collarbones to hold him in place.

"You know, you're the type of person I've always tried to keep him away from." Dallon starts, not filtering himself as he just lets his words harshly flow out.

"What do you mean?" The man cocks his head to the side, eyes narrowing

"Well, usually, someone as psychotic as you lead to nothing good." Tyler falls silent, near ready to smack the smug look off Dallon's face.

"Next time Josh comes crying to me because someone hurt his fragile feelings..." Tyler's voice drops a few tones, his smile menacing and scary. His eyes darken a shade further. "You won't see the next morning."

"Cute." Dallon breathes out, finding it amusing. "An empty threat."

"Oh, it isn't even close to being empty." Tyler stares into Dallon's eyes, joy filling him as the eyes of the other flash a hint of fear "Want to test it?" 

Dallon gasps as Tyler applies pressure with his hands, cutting off his air supply for a split second. The raven-haired man shakes his head vigorously, shutting his eyes.

"That's what I thought" Tyler laughs out as he drops the man, stepping back and trailing a hand through his dark brown hair "If you hurt Josh one more time, I swear... I will kill you."

Just as his hand ghosts over the doorknob, he turns and looks over his shoulder to see Dallon still frozen against the wall. He looks like he's about to cry, it just amuses the older man.

"Don't test my patience, boy," Tyler cocks his head to the side "You don't know the half of the things I can do." 

Tyler's tone is empty, as well as his stare. He bumps into someone entering the bathroom, he continues forward with the joy of seeing Joshua. He smiles and quickly walks back to the theatre.

"Hey, honeybee." Tyler quietly beams as he sits down, intertwining his fingers with the boys again. 

"You missed the best part." The boy pouts, pointing out how long the man was gone. "Where were you?"

"The line for the bathroom was so long." Tyler chuckles quietly, squeezing Josh's hand.

Tyler leans back in his chair as he tries to focus in on the movie, but all his mind wants to go around is what happened previously. He grins when he realizes the tall man never came back to watch the rest of the movie.

Josh comes out of the theatre teary-eyed, Tyler cannot comfort him enough. The boy cries and shakes, Tyler wonders why is the boy is even in this fandom if it hurts him so much. Josh blabbers something nerdy that Tyler cannot understand. He tries so hard but it's really difficult to care about something you don't appreciate. Tyler tries for Josh, he can't stand seeing his precious unhappy and he's willing to do anything in his power to see a smile on the boy's face again. 

"Hey, what about a sleepover?" Tyler suggests, already linking their arms

Josh's face lights up, he jumps around excited.

"Yes!" he beams "We can watch a movie!"

"But we already watched a movie," Tyler chuckles, lips pressing against Josh's warm temple 

"So?" Josh pouts, melting Tyler's heart instantly "You weren't even paying attention in the movie theater, you were looking at me."

Tyler lets out a chuckle, Josh got him there. He kisses the boy softly as a form of an apology.

"How could I resist?" 

"We're gonna watch Iron-Man and then Spider-Man," Josh states, Tyler has no right to object

The man just nods and suggests to hit the grocery shop to get some snacks. Josh whines about the prices of his favourite snacks. Tyler ignores it and tosses them into the shopping basket anyway. Josh struts behind him as the man quickly makes his way to the cashier, cutting off a family of four in the process. Tyler snickers quietly seeing frowns on the family member's faces. He turns to Josh with a warm smile on his face. 

"I can't af-afford this," Josh whispers clutching his wallet tightly

Tyler just laughs, already sliding his own credit card into the slot until it beeps. Josh bites his lips seeing the price in the monitor. The man went all out. Josh reaches for a packet of gum near the counter, his eyes catch something interesting perched on the top shelf just above the bubble gum. The boy stares at the shiny package for a little too long so Tyler notices it.

"Josh..." Tyler almost snorts

The younger boy pries his gaze off of the item, Tyler's already reaching out to grab it. Josh's face turns even redder, he stares at the floor embarrassed.

"Just in case," Tyler whispers against Josh's hair

The boy nods and doesn't say anything else. He exits the store as fast as he can, dragging Tyler, who is carrying the heavy shopping bag, with him.

They reach Josh's house promptly, the younger boy can't wait to dig into the treats but first, he has to find the movie. Josh decides to skip Iron-Man, he had seen the movie hundreds of times. Tyler is sitting right next to him, legs crossed. Josh feels a shiver run down his spine so he grabs a blanket and plants himself in Tyler's lap, wrapping the blanket around both of them. Tyler holds the boy by his waist, hands tenderly running up and down. The curly-haired boy wiggles around to get into a more comfortable position, his eyes glimmer innocently as if his intentions aren't obvious. 

The movie starts, Josh's attention is captured for a moment and Tyler can breathe without difficulties again. Once Josh declares that it's snack time, Tyler has to breathe deeply to control himself. Josh's hips sway, thighs rubbing against Tyler's slowly. The man groans deeply, he's tired of Josh's little games.

"You think I don't notice what you're trying to do?" Tyler growls, gripping Josh tightly and flipping him on his back

The boy giggles, his fingers roam across the older man's chest. 

"What?" Josh blinks innocently, his lip between his teeth

"Stop that," Tyler jokes feeling Josh's soft fingers hike under his shirt "God damn."

Josh's fingers continue going upwards till they reach Tyler's chest. The man breathes heavily, the younger boy's fingers already gripping the fabric to tug it off. Tyler grabs his shirt himself and tosses it on the floor, dipping his head down moments after to bite Josh's lip.

"I love you," Tyler breathes out, catching Josh off guard

"Good," the boy smiles

"What do you mean, good?" Tyler laughs "Aren't you supposed to say something back?"

"No," Josh bites his lip trying to contain his laugh

"Come on," Tyler groans, Josh is already snickering quietly

"I love you too," Josh whispers

"Now that's good," Tyler nods, connecting their lips for a breathless kiss

Josh's shirt goes as well, it flies across the room and lands somewhere near the window. The boy is feeling hotter than ever, his skin radiates heat. Tyler's hands are warm, they feel pleasant when he wraps his fingers gently around his neck and kisses him. 

Their pants have to go as well, Josh doesn't feel insecure this time. Tyler's soft lips kiss Josh all over his body, igniting the flame even more. Josh doesn't object when Tyler's fingers hook under the waistband of his boxers, the boy even helps the man to get rid of the unnecessary layer of clothing. 

Josh's breathing stops feeling Tyler's hot mouth engulf his heat, fire exploding inside his body. The boy shakes, the pleasant wetness seems to only make everything worse, for the best. The curly-haired boy's mind is hazy, all he can think of is the feeling. The warm, tingly feeling coursing through his veins, shaking his whole body. He senses it rippling in his stomach and slowly crawling to the tips of his fingers, his toes, coming back to his stomach where it pools just to spread across his body again. This time the wave is more intense. 

"Baby," Tyler whispers, Josh tastes himself on Tyler's tongue, it's sweeter than he imagined. No wonder the man enjoys it so much

Josh gasps feeling so exposed, his legs shake in the air but he doesn't say anything. Tyler's head dips down again, this time Josh is forced to let his moans loose, he never experienced anything like it. It feels too good but Josh doesn't want to stop. He writhes and whines, arching his back more and more. Tyler's firm grip is on the back of Josh's knees, pushing his legs forward to expose more and more of Josh. 

Josh closes his eyes, all he can focus right now is a slimy warm sensation slowly pushing inside of him. Tyler's breath tickles his thigh, the man's hand move slowly afraid to hurt him. It feels so good. The sensation is small at first but the more Tyler moves his fingers, the more Josh's back arches. Soft curses leave the younger boy's throat and the man's fingers move deeper, faster. 

"You ready?" Tyler pants against Josh's peachy lips, his own arousal neglected for such a long time

"Yes," Josh nods, tears pooling in his eyes

"I promise, I won't hurt you," Tyler breathes heavily, pushing slowly inside Josh "Only if you want me to."

The boy's neck cranes, his head press against the pillow harder. Tyler's right, he's not hurting the boy. His movements slow and steady, the gentlest he's ever been and Josh loves every second of it. Josh's warm walls clench around Tyler's length, it's like heaven, honey dripping down his tongue and he cannot get enough of the taste. 

"Fuck, oh-oh god," Tyler pants, hips moving faster "J-Josh." 

Josh moans with Tyler, their breaths mixing together. Faster. Faster. Faster...

The younger boy unravels without a warning, his hips lurch upwards, twitching, body convulsing. It's the most powerful sensation he's experienced yet. Tyler still moves, earning soft, breathless gasps from the boy.

"T-Tyler, I-" Josh swallows thickly, saliva too tacky to let his tongue move

"I'm-" Tyler's hips shudder as well "I'm already-"

The older man lets a moan loose, heat spreads inside Josh and he loves every moment of it. They had forgotten about their early purchase. The shiny box is sitting on the counter unopened. Josh cannot care less about protection, he trusts Tyler and he's right for once. There's nothing to worry about.

"You're too good to me, baby," Tyler murmurs, he kisses Josh's skin tenderly 

Joshua doesn't respond, he runs circles around the man's naked back softly, earning a few light shudders from him. Tyler props himself on his elbows and kisses Josh. The kiss is long, slow. Just the way Josh likes. 

"I'm gonna be right back," Tyler states standing up

"Where are you going?" Josh rises as well, scared that Tyler might leave

The older man chuckles, pushing the boy back down.

"I'm gonna run you a bath, silly." Tyler's lips plant a kiss on Josh's dewy forehead "Stay here."


End file.
